Entangle
by ElricSisters7
Summary: Winters in the vampire city can be brutally cold. However, they also can bring certain opportunities. MikaYuu Rating will change later.
1. Warm Spot

A/N: I know better... I really shouldn't post this before the entire story is done, because I'm terrible at guaranteeing updates, but I finished it and I'm just so excited to share. This will be a MikaYuu-flavored fic detailing some of their lives in the vampire city.

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"Shit, these livestock clothes really don't do anything," Yuuichiro Hyakuya stated, emerging from the slight warmth of the bloodletting hall and into the chilly streets of the underground vampire city. He shifted his weight restlessly, trying to find a patch of stone that was not quite so cold. The thin slippers on his feet did nothing to keep them warm. "I'm freezing!"

"It's not that bad, Yuu-chan," mumbled his companion, Mikaela Hyakuya, who was trying to tug up the wide collar of his uniform in vain.

"Of course it is," exclaimed Yuu, holding up the pouch of nutrient replacement drink and sloshing it around. "It sounds like there's ice in there."

"I suppose it's not great either." Mika gave up on his collar and shuffled across the cold cobbles until he could sit on the low retaining wall of the bridge. Yuu came to join him, dropping the pouch on the wall next to him in disgust. The boys lapsed into silence, watching their breath curl away on the chilly air, and steam rise faintly from a building or two in the distance.

It had been two years since they were brought to the vampire's city after the end of the world. It had been winter when they first arrived, and although no snow ever fell into the deep caverns, they could always tell when it came again by the bitter cold that swept through the streets. The first year hadn't been too bad. There weren't many survivors brought down at first, and so they were valuable livestock; they couldn't be allowed to freeze. There was enough fuel to go around and to heat the small homes shared by anywhere up to a dozen children each. It was still cold venturing out into the city – the vampires were unaffected by change in temperature and didn't bother heating the cavern – but they all got by alright.

The second winter there was less fuel than the first, but it had been mild. There were barely any truly freezing days to mark the change of seasons.

However, this year, the cold had arrived sudden and bitter, and there were so many livestock now contained within the city that fuel was distributed sparingly. There was only enough to cook on their small stove and not much more.

Yuu crossed one ankle over his knee and started trying to rub some warmth back into his exposed shin. Mika eyed him anxiously. He wasn't sure if Yuu was badly affected by the cold, or if he was just complaining, a favorite pass-time of his. Some of the younger children from their little family certainly were badly affected. They refused to venture out of the sleeping loft unless someone made them come down, since the floors were so cold and what little heat there was rose. Mika did notice that Yuu was shivering slightly, so he probably wasn't just complaining for the sake of complaining.

However, he also was never one to let the opportunity slide.

"Well if you're really that cold," Mika started, intentionally letting his face form a mischievous expression. After years together, Mika knew that particular look usually made Yuu nervous; he thought Yuu looked particularly amusing when nervous.

True to form, Yuu's green eyes widened just a bit, and he asked, "Mika, what are you up to?"

Mika scooted himself quickly across the wall instead or replying, and latched onto Yuu, wrapping his arms and legs securely about the other boy, octopus-like.

"Gah, Mika, we're going to fall off!"

Sure enough the two boys teetered for a moment with the force of Mika's lunge forward, but they regained their balance. Mika came up laughing and Yuu scowling, but in a way Mika knew meant his friend was about to break into a smile and trying to avoid doing just that.

Finally, his balance regained enough to do more than clutch the wall for dear life, Yuu pushed in vain on Mika's shoulder. When this failed, he started trying to slide out from the other boy's limbs instead. "You idiot," he scolded, "You could have killed us both."

Mika shrugged, "It was worth it to see your face." But he released his grip on the other boy. Yuu just continued to scowl. "Come on, let's go home, it might be a bit warmer there." Mika jumped off the wall and extended a hand.

Yuu sighed and stood without assistance, but he did follow Mika into the dark maze of alleys. It was still well before livestock curfew, so there was plenty of light to see by as they trudged, still weary from the day's bloodletting session, down the thin cobbled streets.

"Do you think any of these are warm?" Yuu commented hopefully, putting a hand up to one of the many pipes that trailed across the walls of every building. He immediately sighed in disappointment.

Mika shook his head in vague response, and mentally vowed to keep a closer watch on Yuu. If he was trying to find warmth anywhere, Mika would have to be careful that the other boy didn't catch a cold. Medicine was just as scarce as fuel for livestock, so getting sick certainly wouldn't be good.

He was brought back from his thoughts as Yuu started talking excitedly about something. He gathered that he was supposed to be looking somewhere. Glancing up, Mika saw that they were in a small square, ringed with the blank faces of buildings and shallow-sloped roofs. A miserable trickle of cloudy water flowed from a tiny fountain in the middle. They had walked through this same square innumerable times on the way home. He didn't understand what was suddenly worth noticing.

Yuu scowled again; Mika figured it was because he wasn't giving him undivided attention. "What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"Don't you see that?" Yuu pointed to a roof just down one of the tiny side streets. It looked like every other roof in this part of town, except there was a pipe on the roof emitting "Steam! I think that's one of the laundry buildings, so they must use warm water and it's making all that steam. If we find a way to sneak in there, we could sit in one of the tubs and have a warm bath."

Mika looked skeptically at his friend. Yuu had obviously gotten wrapped up in his plan and had a dreamy expression on his face as he contemplated warm water.

"Yuu, you're an idiot."

"Am not."

"Do you really think no one in that place would notice two boys sitting in their laundry tubs? But maybe," Mika continued, eyes scanning the surrounding houses, "we could get up on the roof I think."

Yuu's eyes followed where Mika pointed to a rickety-looking ladder leaning against one of the neighboring homes. It only took him a minute to put two and two together, and dashed toward the ladder and scampered up as soon as he did. Mika followed slower, wondering if he would be able to catch the other boy if he fell from the slippery roof tiles.

Yuu did not slip, and by the time Mika stuck his head over the edge of the roof, he had already climbed over to the laundry house and was laying on his back, arms and legs spread as far as they would go. "Mika, come join me," he sighed. "This is great."

Mika picked his way across the roof and sat down on Yuu's left. He could feel the heat from the laundry infusing the tiles beneath him with delicious warmth. He spread his hands on the roof, and sighing in contentment as his fingers weren't cold for the first time in days.

Mika looked down at his companion, at the way his hair spread around his head in a splash of black against the gray tile. Yuu had his eyes closed and looked for all intents and purposes like he was going to take a nap.

It seemed like they might be there for a while, and so Mika turned his gaze out toward the city, and was surprised by the view. It seemed as if he could see the entire cavern from their perch. It had an ethereal sort of beauty, he mused, once they were above the narrow streets packed with their crumbling houses, and the vague dampness that never seemed to leave the stone. Buildings rose in dizzyingly tall terraces, sweeping up to the grand quarters occupied by the most important vampires, near the top. All of it was sufficed with an eerie green light, and where there was steam rising from factories or other laundry houses such as their own, the edges blurred into haze.

Mika wanted to share the way he saw their world with Yuu, but he knew the other boy wouldn't be interested in such romantic depictions of a place he saw as no more than a prison. He glanced back down at him; Yuu had certainly fallen asleep and Mika watched the slow rise and fall of his chest for a while.

Eventually, they would have to climb down from the roof, before the other children worried, back into the damp and the cold and the clinking, rusting pipes. But for now, Mika would let his sleeping family member lie, and in the meantime study the look of contentment on his face, and the strange warmth he felt growing in his own heart.


	2. The Huddle

A/N: *has chapters upon chapters of fluffy stuff to write* *immediately finishes the angstiest chapter instead of working on this one*

Oops, I have a problem. Thankfully for you folks I think I have kicked the habit of every story I write needing to involve death somehow :)

Enjoy your new chapter - fluff, and no death, I promise.

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It was about an hour before the curfew bell before Yuu woke up, and it took another half an hour for Mika to convince him to get down off the roof. Even then it took the full force of Mika's persuasion, and a mix of suggestions that their precious family would come looking for them if they weren't back soon, worry about being caught out after curfew, and (semi-idle) threats to cling onto Yuu again until they really fell off the roof.

"I can't believe you made me come down," Yuu grumbled, when they were once again on the ground, and passing the sad little fountain in the square. He was rubbing his arms with his hands in a feeble attempt to preserve some warmth.

"You couldn't stay up there all night. You must be smart enough at least to know that," Mika said cheerfully.

Yuu did not look pleased at his companion's tone, and continued to gripe. "I don't know if it's good or bad that we found that place. It's almost _worse_ down here now that we were warm for a little bit."

"Well then maybe you shouldn't have stayed up there so long," was the teasing reply.

Yuu growled, and screwed up his face, and Mika knew he was about to launch into his typical tirade. "It's these goddamn vampires and how they treat us like livestock. Who cares if some of us freeze to death, really, so long as there's still blood to go around? One day we'll kill them all, and then we can live in our world again, with all the heat and hot chocolate in the winter that we want."

"I didn't know you liked hot chocolate." Mika was smiling, and had a sudden urge to try to see if he could find some hot chocolate for Yuu. He liked watching him rant like this; his naivety was kind of cute. Even beyond that, even though he knew logically that defeating vampires wasn't possible, Yuu's words still stirred a bit of hope in his heart. One day, he would have to break it to the other boy that they would never be able to leave this place; but today he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Yuu was still grumbling and seething as they walked up the front door to their house. Inside everyone was seated at the table, apparently waiting for them to start eating dinner.

Akane was the first to notice the arrival of the two boys. "Look everyone, Mika and Yuu are home."

"Welcome home!" chorused several small voices, and a few of the children got up from the table to go hug their big brothers. Mika winced as several cold little hands grabbed onto his arms.

"Big brother Mika, where have you been all day?" Asked one girl, lifting her head from where it had been buried in his shoulder.

"Ah, Yuu and I had to give blood today."

"Give blood, more like have it taken from us," the dark-haired boy snapped from within his own circle of Hyakuyas.

"Now now, Yuu-chan, not in front of the children. You know how bad it is for kids to see their parents fight. Isn't that right mama Akane?"

Mika turned his head at just the right moment to see his friend splutter, turn red, and then shout, "We are nobody's parents, idiot Mika!"

Akane was slowly dissolving into giggles, and many of the children followed suit.

"Well, we are the oldest in our little family, so that makes us like the parents, right Yuu-chan?"

Mika turned his brightest smile on Yuu, and tapped the small hoard still clinging to him on the shoulders, encouraging him to do the same. "Right, Yuu-nii?" chorused Mika's little group. He was so proud of his kids, figuring out just what he wanted them to do.

Yuu's face twitched, as if he was fighting back a smile. "It's still not fair," He put in finally, seeming defeated by his family's antics. Then he huffed something under his breath that sounded like 'bloodsuckers' and 'defeat.' "Can all of you let me go so we can eat now?"

Despite all of the children's excitement upon their brothers' return home, dinner was a subdued affair. Instead of eating at the table, they all huddled in a circle around the cook stove in the corner of their tiny kitchen. It wasn't easy, since it was hard to move elbows with everyone packed together like sardines, but the bit of heat still coming off the stove was worth it. The food itself was only okay as well. Akane was a decent enough cook, but it was difficult to do much with ingredients that were frequently stale or on the edge of spoiling, and any kind of spices were just about impossible to get.

All of the younger kids retreated immediately to the loft after helping to clean up from dinner. Akane, Mika and Yuu had just settled around the table to talk for a while before going up to bed when a small voice called, "Mika, Akane, will you come tuck us in?"

Mika smiled and pushed the bench back.

"Why do they only want the two of you?" Yuu asked, looking at him indignantly from across the table.

"Because they know you won't come." Mika stuck out his tongue and headed for the ladder. Once he had climbed up, he could see in the faint light of the single candle in the loft that everyone was curled tight under their meager blankets in a big pile of kids in the middle of the floor. They were all tucked together as tight as possible.

"Now whose idea was this," Akane asked, once Mika had moved aside to let her crawl up.

"Me!" A hand shot up from somewhere in the middle of the pile, but it was difficult to tell who it belonged to.

"Well it's a great idea. I may stay up here with all of you now, it looks so warm!"

Mika and Akane crawled in a circle around the huddle to say goodnight to each member of their family. Little sleepy heads would poke out of the blankets momentarily to say goodnight back before retreating into the warmth again. Sometimes, Mika loved his family so much it felt like his face would split with smiling. Life wasn't great, but as long as they could live together like this, everything would be okay.

After they had made the rounds, Akane did decide to stay and pulled her own blanket over to the pile. Mika climbed back down the ladder even though he really wouldn't have minded snuggling up too.

Yuu had his chin in his hand was staring at the slowly dripping wax from the candle. "What was so exciting up there?"

"Ah, everyone's sleeping in a great big huddle. Maybe we'll finally be warm. We should go join them soon." Mika plopped down on the bench across from Yuu again and tried to catch his eye, but the other boy still had the flame of the candle reflected in his green irises.

"No way," Yuu said, "I am not sleeping in a big pile with everyone."

"Aw, why not, Yuu-chan? We're all family. Family sleep together all the time."

"I don't want to sleep like a family. You know that word doesn't mean much to me," he said after a while. Despite his words, Mika noticed that he waited long enough for most of the kids upstairs to have fallen asleep so he wouldn't hurt their feelings. These days, he was at least good about not voicing his opinions on family around the younger ones.

"You won't even do it for warmth?"

"No."

Mika was used to Yuu's proclamations that he didn't care about family, but it still made his heart sink a bit. So he searched around for a change of topic. "So, how do you like your hot chocolate?" He said, putting on his normal cheerful face.

"What?"

"You heard me. How do you like your hot chocolate? You mentioned earlier that you do like it. Are you a cinnamon person, or a mint person?"

Yuu thought for a moment, and then said, "Neither. I like it with lots of milk and marshmallows, and a heap of whipped cream with caramel over it. And the whipped cream has to be so tall it almost falls over."

"Of course." Mika relaxed as he watched Yuu's irritation shift into excitement. His eyes would always get big and his shoulders came up, and he would smile as he talked. Even though Mika liked to make Yuu squirm, or enjoyed pushing his buttons to watch the reaction, this was his favorite expression by far.

"Oh, and it has to be in a mug. None of those paper cups from shops. You have to be able to feel the heat on your hands through the mug properly. Mika, what about you? How do you like your hot chocolate?"

"Hmm," he pretended to think for a moment, just to make Yuu impatient, "I'm a mint person. You have to stir it with a mint candy stick. And it has to be the darkest dark chocolate."

"Like your soul," Yuu interjected, with a deadpan expression on his face.

"Hey you suck." Both boys had to stop and conceal their laughter so they wouldn't wake anyone upstairs. "But we should get some as soon as we leave this place. Dark hot chocolate with lots of mint and marshmallows and whipped cream."

"But what if we get out and it's summer?"

"I don't care. I'll drink it anyway."

Each fell into their own dreams of the outside world for a while. Eventually, Mika took to watching Yuu, and Yuu took to flicking his finger through candle flame. When Yuu started slowing his motion more and more, probably doing something stupid like seeing how long he could go without getting burnt as Mika assumed, the blonde suggested they go to bed. Yuu nodded tiredly, but followed him up the ladder without protest.

In the loft, they found the pile of sleepy children still tucked tightly together. Mika tried to watch Yuu's reaction, but it was hard to pick out his facial expressions in the dim, flickering light. However, he immediately grabbed his own blanket and settled down an arm's length from the group. Mika lay with his back finally warm against his siblings, and hoped Yuu wouldn't get too cold in the night.

He was about to fall asleep when a faint voice said, "It will be like that someday, Mika."

"Hm?"

"Someday we'll get all the hot chocolate and warm things we want."

"Yes, of course."

"I mean it. I really do. Someday, I'll make it happen."

Mika waited to see if there would be more, but Yuu's breath went out slow and soft, and then melted into sleep-breathing. He let himself drift off, with the flicker of Yuu's hope in his heart.


	3. Drained

A/N - Here we are, chapter 3! Thank you all for your continuing interest in this story! Before we start, I will be nice and warn you that this chapter contains a cliffhanger.

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The cold snap only lasted a week, but even though it had warmed up marginally, everyone in the Hyakuya family was happy when their day to collect monthly fuel rations came around. Yuu and Mika set off early in the morning to the ration center, sleepy but hoping to beat the crowd.

"Why do I have to come along so early again?" Yuu asked through a yawn as he trudged down the street after Mika. "My blankets had just started to feel warm."

Mika, who was walking ahead and with considerably more energy, spread his arms wide. "But Yuu-chan! It's so quiet and peaceful out here at this hour. It's nice, don't you think?"

"No."

Mika heard something of a deeper exhaustion in his friend's voice. He turned around to walk backwards and regarded the other boy sharply. "Are you still not sleeping well?"

"I'm fine," Yuu grumbled without meeting Mika's eye. "Anyway, we're about to get more fuel, and it's gotten a bit warmer. I'm not going to start sleeping with everyone."

Mika didn't push the subject. Certainly, he had tried over the past few days, but the conversation never went anywhere. Which left Yuu curled tight in on himself at night, apart from the huddle and shivering. Mika hated seeing those trembling shoulders as he fell asleep, and wanted nothing more than to grab them and pull that lone figure into the warmth. But he knew that wouldn't work either; Yuu would just squirm away again if he tried.

They walked the rest of the way to the ration center in silence, Yuu still in a gloomy, sleepy mood and Mika deciding to enjoy the morning quiet despite his companion. The center itself was a nondescript building on the edge of a large square, with a few windows set into the wall so that the vampires on duty could distribute items like food, or clothing or fuel from inside. A few guards circulated through the lines to make sure no one caused trouble. There were some children on hand too, those who helped the vampires with things like the rationing and checking others into the bloodletting hall in exchange for a small amount of extra supplies. Privately, Mika thought that it could be useful to have at least one member of their family working such a job, but he also knew that Yuu would never forgive him if he tried.

As the two boys entered the square, they groaned in unison; there was already a substantial line for each of the three rationing windows.

"Why is anyone else out at this hour?"

"They probably had the same idea we did. And everyone is desperate this year."

"Well I suppose we better get in line before anyone else shows up." Yuu began making his slow way over to the middle line, shoulders still slouched and kicking a pebble out of his way as he went.

Mika sighed and followed. It seemed like it would be a long morning. Thankfully, Yuu perked up as he woke up more, and soon was his normal, energetic self. They chatted idly or watched the other children wandering off with their meager packages for about an hour before getting close.

Just before they reached the window, Mika leaned in close to Yuu and whispered, "Let me do the talking."

"Why?"

"You'll just be surly and impolite. If the vampire at the window is in a bad mood, he might not give us our fuel if you do that."

"I can pretend if I have to," Yuu replied indignantly.

Mika just gave him a skeptical look as the child on duty passed her information scanner over them.

"Mikaela Hyakuya, Yuuichiro Hyakuya. Their household is due for a month's supply for fuel," she reported to the vampire in the window.

The vampire just stared contemptuously down at them from under his hood. Mika prepared to turn up the charm and thank him for how _generous_ the vampires were to take care of them all, anything to get their supplies and get Yuu, whose expression was darkening, out of there. He was interrupted by a disturbance at the next window.

A boy who looked just a bit younger than them was yelling at the vampire. "I need this fuel! We have none and my sister is sick. She needs to be warm." Activity and chatter slowed to a stop around them, as all eyes turned toward the ruckus.

"You're not due for fuel for another week. Besides, it's warmed up a bit. Go away."

The child at the window moved to grab the boy's arm and escort him away, but he shook the attendant off and grabbed the edge of the window. "Please! I'll give up next month's rations if I can just have this now. Or anything at all, any fuel you can give me!"

The vampire in the window looked bored, and waved to the guards in the crowd. One figure turned in their direction. Mika watched the white cloak working its way through the lines with apprehension. He had the nasty feeling that the boy was going to walk away with some kind of injury.

Sure enough, as soon as the guard reached the window, she kicked the boy hard in the side. He doubled over with a gasp, and then fell to the ground with a second kick. Mika looked down; everything in him screamed to help, but he knew he could do nothing.

Of course, such reluctance to enter into an impossible fight with a being seven times stronger than one's self never occurred to Yuu. Mika cursed himself from looking away from his companion for even a second as he saw a white and black blur move out of the corner of his eye. "Yuu, don't!" He tried to give chase.

Yuu didn't listen, and managed to slip past Mika's reaching hands. "Hey, you stupid bloodsucker! What the hell do you think you're doing kicking that kid? Can't you see he's desperate?" And then he tried to throw a punch at the vampire's midsection.

She caught him by the wrist before the punch landed and lifted him in the air. "What, do you want to get kicked too?" She sneered, her red eyes blazing.

"No, please, he's not right in the head. He doesn't understand what he's doing," Mika tugged on the vampire's cloak, trying to catch her attention.

She remained focused on the boy in her grasp who was still struggling and cursing as he dangled from her grip. "I don't care if you kick me! How dare you kick someone who just needs help!"

"Who do you think you are, livestock, to threaten one of us? I could crush your arm with just this hand for your insolence." Instead, she hit him in the stomach.

All of the air in Yuu's lungs went out with a whoosh. He hung limp and silent for a moment, but quickly recovered and spat out another round of curses and insults.

"Or maybe I'll just take advantage of a free meal." Her face split into a sickly grin.

Mika felt as if the ground had lurched below him and his stomach churned horribly. He fought the sudden urge to either be sick or sink to his knees. Usually anyone who was the victim of a direct vampire feeding was drained of all of their blood. Yuu was going to die. His precious family member, his best friend, someone who was so full of life and even love, although he didn't like to show it, was going to disappear, just like that. Before that moment, Mika had never known he could be so afraid. "Please put him down!" Mika begged, feeling tears gather in the corners of his eyes. "I'll take him home and make sure he doesn't bother you again."

The vampire still paid him no attention, even though Mika was nearly screaming at this point. The tears broke free from his eyes and ran down his cheeks. He felt his own helplessness like a physical weight trying to press him down.

"Wait a second you idiot." Mika's head snapped in the direction of the voice. He had never been so happy to hear a vampire speak. A second guard had noticed the scuffle and abandoned his line to approach them. "You'll get in trouble for drinking directly from the livestock again. I've got a better idea. This kid seems to like pain, so why don't we send him to the bloodletting hall for some 'special treatment.'"

The tiny bit of hope that Mika had begun to feel at the other vampire's arrival withered. There was no guarantee that they wouldn't just drain Yuu at the bloodletting hall.

"Good idea. I don't want to get chewed out again." The vampire holding Yuu knocked him out with a quick jab under the chin and slung him over her shoulder. Then the two guards began to saunter off in the direction of the hall, chatting idly.

Mika ran after them. It was a short walk, but he spit out pleas and promises of good behavior the entire way. The two vampires ignored him until they reached the steps up to the hall, where the second guard turned and shoved Mika back. He landed on the cobbles with enough force to bruise, and looked up at the two figures silhouetted against the tall, dark doorway.

"Go away kid, if you know what's good for you. You're seriously annoying," the vampire who had pushed him down stated. Then they disappeared into the hall and the doors swung shut behind them.

Mika sat where he was for a long time, feeling the cold seep into his legs and palms from the stones, and the trembling that passed through his body. Eventually, he pulled himself together, picked himself up, and started running through the tangle of streets toward their home. If Yuu came out of that building, no _when_ Yuu came out of that building, Mika would need help to get him back to the house. He stumbled a few times on the uneven paving, but he barely slowed.

As Mika approached his destination, he could see that all of the members of their little family were sitting out on the steps, cold or no. With no natural light during the day, it made no sense to waste precious candles when the street lights were on. A few kids were drawing with sticks in a patch of dirt where the cobbles had come up, and the rest were playing clapping games. Akane supervised from the top step as she cut up the tough, flavorless mushrooms that grew about the city for their dinner.

A few of the kids looked up and started exclaiming, "Mika's home!" "Did you get us more fuel?" "Where's Yuu-nii?"

Mika knew that he looked wide-eyed and scared, so instead of answering their questions, he grabbed Akane and dragged her inside.

"Mika, what's wrong?'

"It's Yuu. He pissed off some vampire guards and they took him to the bloodletting hall, I couldn't stop them, and I'm so scared they'll drain him but if they don't he'll be so cold and I don't think I'll be able to get him home myself," he spit out in a rush.

Akane took a moment to process what he had said. There was concern in her face too, but she pulled Mika into a hug. He could feel himself still shaking against her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. What do you need me to do?"

Mika gulped and tried to pull himself together a bit. "Can you come with me to wait for him to come out, and help me carry blankets?"

"Yes, I can do that. You stay here." She steered Mika over to the table and made him sit down on the bench while she climbed up into the loft and tossed down several blankets.

Mika reached forward and grabbed the corner of one, feeling the texture, and staring at the weave with such intensity that it began to swim in his vision. He knew life was hard down here. He knew people who had lost family. He just never thought that one of his own family would ever be in that kind of danger. He never thought he would be waiting to know if he would ever see someone again. And it was Yuu. He didn't know why, but the fact it was Yuu who he may never see again hurt more than anything.

When Akane came back down, she found Mika staring at the blanket in his hands with glassy eyes. She pried his fingers from it, and he roused, looking up at her kind face. He took a deep breath and gathered enough composure to plaster on his normal cheery expression, and said, "Thanks for helping, Akane."

He could see that his sister was taken aback by the abrupt change in his demeanor, but she didn't comment. "You're welcome. Here," she dumped two more blankets onto his lap, "we should go, yes?"

Mika stood, feeling as if his limbs were suddenly mechanical and foreign, and followed Akane out onto the street.

"What are you two doing with all those blankets?" He was having a hard time focusing, so he didn't notice who had spoken. But he also didn't really feel that he could answer that question well. What would he say? That they were going to wait and see if their brother was dead?

"It's alright everyone, Yuu-nii has just gotten himself into a bit of trouble, like he always does. We're going to pick him up, and we'll be home soon. Just stay out of trouble while we're gone. Go in the house if anyone comes by."

Mika vaguely registered nodding heads, and then he was following Akane down the street, staring at her straight back and swinging braid as if it was a lifeline.

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A/N - Sorry sorry for the cliffhanger, I know it was not very nice, but this chapter length was getting out of hand so I had to split it in two. I'll try to get the second half up soon for you all.

ALSO, I obviously have a lot of lurkers because none of you reviewed the last chapter :( I do really love getting them, it's quite motivating. So please feel free to stop in and let me know what you think or just say hi.

Also, I am regularly enrolled in workshop classes, so I am quite used to getting a lot of constructive criticism and am grateful for anything of that nature as well. It really does help improve the story and your writing!


	4. The Waiting Game

A/N - Oh dear readers, I'm sorry for leaving you for so long with that rough cliffy. I have to admit, that this chapter completely kicked my butt. Even when I had it 'finished' it still wasn't right and I had to go back do some seriously heavy editing.

But basically what happened is that what was supposed to be one chapter has morphed into what will be a three chapter mini-arc. Hopefully you guys enjoy the fruits of my writing getting completely out of hand!

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The bloodletting hall rose from only a middle tier of the heights, yet there was no mistaking it for anywhere but the heart of the city. Delicate gothic windows swept high above the streets, and gargoyles glared down at those who would enter from among the flying buttresses and spires. In another world, perhaps the place would be a cathedral. But there was no comfort or religion to be had here. Only cold, impersonal light shone from these windows.

It was in the long shadows cast by the hall that a tiny figure paced. Mika's feet were starting to hurt, they really were, and there was an exhaustion settling into his bones which had more to it than an hour of nonstop motion. But it was much easier to concentrate on the feel of each step in his legs, or his newly numbing feet, than let his mind wander toward _other_ thoughts. Occasionally, he would indulge and look at the tall doors. Sometimes, they would be shut, or sometimes there would be other children emerging from the building, but every time Yuu was not among them, he felt a tiny something drop inside him.

"Mika, aren't you getting tired? You should come sit with me." Mika paused to look back at Akane, who was sitting on one of the benches built into the wall of the bridge. Her face looked calm, but she had her knees pulled up to her chest and was holding tight to one of the blankets. The rest were in a large pile next to her.

He didn't want to sit still. All of the fear and the pain would come back as soon as he lost that distraction. He started walking again.

"Really, will you please stop pacing? You're making me even more nervous."

Mika stopped for longer this time so that he could look closer at Akane. Her calm façade was nearly as good as his cheerful one, but there was still a hint of anxiety underneath. He sighed, and moved to sit on the bench to her left. The cold came creeping across his skin, both the cold of the air and the cold of fear. He pulled a blanket from the pile and tucked it around himself. His blue eyes stared across the far side of the bridge, but he did not see the sweep of the city before him. Pinpricks of light from the lower city bellow the bridge up to the highest dwellings blurred into a field of fireflies before his vision.

The chill of the bench felt like a steadying force beneath his hands, and he pressed them firmly against the stone. He tried tapping his toes on the cobbles to break the silence of the bridge, but the sound was hollow, and swallowed by the immense space around them as soon as it was made.

That left far too much room to be filled by Mika's thoughts. Like children delving deeper into the maze of the city, they spiraled down darker and darker paths. What would their family do if Yuu died? He really didn't know. There would be something irreplaceable missing, a presence that resembled light itself, something they all drank in living in this underground world. It was a light that could blaze with strength and anger, but also be gentle and kind at times. Even when Yuu acted sullen or gloomy, his light was still there, just waiting for the right moment to show. No, that was not something so easily lost or replaced.

But, Mika was certain, that one day their family would recover from such a loss. He was not so sure about himself. Beyond his awareness, he gripped the blanket tighter about himself, the fabric pressing patterns into his palms.

Before that moment, doubtful of whether he would ever see Yuu again or not, Mika had never considered how much he relied on the other boy. Of course, there was the companionship of someone his own age, someone to share the burden of caring for their family, but Akane provided that as well. Mika felt completely at ease with Yuu in a way he sometimes didn't understand. To catch a glimpse of those green eyes, or a smile, or better yet to be the reason Yuu was smiling, never failed to remind him that there were good things in the world worth living for.

And what if he was about to lose it all?

From there, Mika's thoughts fell out of articulated words and dissolved into images and sensations. He pictured what it would be like to watch Yuu die, to hold him and try to calmly tell him that everything would be alright while the life slipped away. The words he could say tumbled about his head, choppy and unable to form themselves into full sentences. Mika's mind showed him the light going out in those green eyes, made him feel the cold of Yuu's lifeless body. Thought of how he could possibly say goodbye.

Mika hunched around his middle. His imagination had conjured such vivid images that he began to believe it was already reality.

"Mika?"

Akane's concerned voice snapped him back to the present. He tried to hold himself there, to look at the lights of the lower city below the bridge, to feel the weight of the blanket across his shoulders. For the moment, they still didn't know what would happen. It could still be alright. He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound normal as he said, "I'm okay. The waiting is just getting to me, that's all."

Akane scooted over on the bench and draped the blanket she had been holding over the both of them. Then she took his hand, and said, "I don't think that's it. What are you thinking about?"

"I don't want to say. It might make it real."

"You know that's not how things work. Talking about them doesn't make them reality, but it could make you feel better."

Mika was struck by her steadfastness in that moment, and regarded her with admiration, but mostly sadness. It was the first thought he had in hours that wasn't about Yuu, and he latched on tight. Her words sounded like something an adult would say. They were eleven years old. How should they know how things work, and why should she have to fill that role? They should be allowed to be irrational at this age, and overflow with any emotion, uninhibited by responsibility or the need to hold a family together. They shouldn't be required to sit with their backs straight and faces calm while the world crumbled around them, and hide the fact it was breaking them on the inside too. "Do you ever think that we're not kids anymore?"

Akane looked puzzled at the change of subject, and hesitated a moment before speaking. "I guess so."

"This place is taking it from us. Why did we have to lose our chance to be kids?" He had meant this topic as a way to distract from his thoughts of Yuu, to keep from breaking down. He could feel himself slipping anyway. "It's not fair. But I guess since we have to be mature now, I guess have to tell _myself_ that life isn't fair. And this place will keep on taking, I think. It already might take…"

Akane squeezed his hand. "We don't know that yet, right?"

"But I keep seeing it happen in my head. I can imagine what it would be like to watch him die, gone through how I should say goodbye a million different ways." Mika gulped. "How do I begin to say goodbye?"

"You won't have to."

"How do you know?"

"I just know okay. So shut up and trust your sister on this."

Both of them were aware that there was no way they could know if Yuu would be alright, but for the moment it was comforting to say it. And so the two children sat side by side, leaning on each other, and feeling small before the cold, the things that were beyond their control, and a huge, towering city that was never intended for them.

If Mika hadn't been so focused on every motion from the direction of the door, it would have been easy to miss the moment when Yuu emerged. There was a large crowd of tired-looking children carefully making their way down the steps, and then there were two vampires dragging a figure between them with a shock of black hair. He was hanging limp in their grasp, and looked so much smaller and more fragile than Mika remembered.

"Is that…?" Mika barely registered the question from somewhere behind him; without realizing, he had stood as soon as he saw Yuu. And then, without answering Akane's question, he was weaving through the crowd. The overwhelming fear that he had attempted to stow away through most of the morning came crashing back in full force. He couldn't tell if Yuu was alive.

The two vampires dumped their burden at the top of the steps, and then dropped a nutrition pouch next to him. The fear melted into a shaky sort of relief just as quickly as it had come; Yuu must be alive if they were leaving a nutrition pouch. _You still don't know if he'll survive_ , whispered the voice of doubt in his head, but he pushed it down by force of will. He was now close enough to see the contempt in the vampires' eyes. As he stumbled up the stairs, one caught sight of him. "You, livestock, are you this one's keeper?"

Mika stopped in his tracks, blinked and tried to form words. He really only needed to say one, but he was so overwhelmed by the morning's events that his voice wouldn't come. Everything in him was straining to go to Yuu, even though he knew he had to say something to this vampire or risk more trouble.

"Yes sir, we're from his household." Mika hadn't heard Akane come up behind him. He was grateful for her presence and cooler head.

"Make sure this brat doesn't cause any more trouble. Next time, it will be much worse for all of you." The vampire grinned, baring his fangs, before turning to go back inside. The doors shut with a hollow boom, and then the three children were left alone.

"Yuu!" Mika lurched up the last few steps, and knelt by his friend. A faint sliver of green peeked out from behind his eyelids, but what was visible was glassy and distant. Mika took Yuu's hand, feeling at his wrist for a pulse. He brought his other hand up to brush a few strands of black hair back from Yuu's face, and then cupped his cheek; it was cold, but he could feel a heartbeat under his fingers. It wasn't strong, but it was there and steady. He couldn't keep himself from slumping forward and gently touching their foreheads together.

Akane had knelt next to them and was looking on with concerned eyes. "How is he?" She asked.

"He's alive. Oh god, he's alive." Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes. He wanted to gather Yuu into his arms and never let go. A reaction which might get him punched if the subject of this wish was awake. Normally, he would do it anyway and not care if he got punched, but he was also worried that he might hurt Yuu if he tried to move him too much.

"Yuu, hey Yuu, wake up," Akane said, taking his other hand. "He's really cold. We need to get him somewhere warm."

"I know. But I don't know if we can carry him home ourselves, or if we should. What if he's hurt somehow and we make it worse? Can you bring the blankets up here instead?" He heard Akane clattering down the steps as he scrutinized Yuu for any sign of injury.

She returned a moment later with the pile. After some debate, the two of them gently shifted Yuu into an alcove a few feet away, so they wouldn't be in the way of traffic from the doors. They lay him down on a blanket to protect from the cold, with his head cradled in Mika's lap, and his feet elevated on Akane's. Mika claimed that this set up was so that Yuu's head wouldn't be resting on the hard ground, but in truth he couldn't bear to not be touching Yuu in some way.

The rest of the blankets were piled on top of Yuu, so that only his face showed above. This caused a moment of renewed worry when Mika couldn't see the rise and fall of Yuu's chest through the layers. He settled on resting his hand on Yuu's collarbone, so that he could still feel a pulse, and absently stroked his hair.

And then Mika let himself fall into a similar sort of trance as when he was pacing, filling his mind with sensations rather than worries of if Yuu would wake up. He focused on the weight of Yuu's head on his knees, the feeling of running his hand through the soft black strands. Time seemed to slow and count itself out by the heartbeat under his fingers.

Later, Akane said they waited perhaps half an hour. Mika remembered it as both infinitely longer than that, and over in an instant. Regardless of exact numbers, after a time, Yuu did open his eyes. He blinked up at blue eyes above him, which returned his fuzzy gaze with a joyful one.

"Mika?" Yuu's voice was rough, but Mika thought it was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard.

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A/N - Still more to come, but at least we know he's alive and awake, right? Hugs for sticking with me through my brain's takeover of this story.


	5. Shiver

A/N- Oh my goodness guys, sorry for leaving you alone for so long. Well, here is your reward for sticking with me - a longer chapter than usual!

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"Mika?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Mika breathed. His face felt like it would split from grinning. "Akane's here too."

"He enlisted my help since he figured he couldn't drag your dumb butt home on his own," she confirmed.

Yuu raised his head a bit so that he could glance at her. It appeared to take a lot of effort, since he lay down again almost immediately. "That's not very nice to say when I've just woken up."

"No, I agree. Yuu-chan is a total idiot." But an alive idiot, and that's what really mattered. Mika wanted to jump up and dance about, or perhaps crush Yuu into the tightest hug of his life, something to express the overflowing joy that seeing those green eyes again had caused in him. He did neither. Mika had _some_ self-control.

"Hey, not you too." Yuu tried to sound indignant, but he just sounded tired instead.

Mika let the subject drop, for now. He would continue to hound Yuu about it later, once he had recovered a bit. He did look more pale than normal, and his face had a sunken sort of aspect. "How are you feeling?"

"I hurt everywhere," he groaned. "Especially my head. And I'm so cold."

Now that Yuu was awake, Mika could feel tremors starting to form under the hand that still rested on Yuu's collarbone. Some part of his mind wondered why Yuu hadn't commented on that or pushed the hand away. But there were more pressing matters. "What did they do to you?" He asked, at the same time as Akane inquired if he was injured.

Yuu looked confused for a moment, as if trying to sort out their tangled words through his currently sluggish brain. Then he replied, "No, they just took a lot of blood. So much blood."

Mika was relieved that taking blood was the extent of the punishment. The vampires could have easily used him as a punching bag instead. Those injuries would take a lot longer to heal.

He reached behind him for the nutrition packet, letting his fingers quest across the ground instead of turning to look; he wanted to keep those green eyes in his sight. "Well if that's all," Mika grinned mischievously, "I guess all you need is this, right?" He held the packet up where Yuu could see, and wiggled it back and forth.

"Urgh, get that thing away from me. I'm not drinking it."

"You have to," Akane chimed in. "Hopefully it will make you feel well enough to get home."

"No. It tastes like something dead." He did manage a cross expression, but part of that may have been that his eyes were starting to droop shut of their own accord.

"Hey, stay awake you idiot. Do you really want to fall asleep out here in front of the bloodletting hall?" Mika shook Yuu's shoulder. He was tempted to flick him on the forehead too for being stubborn, but perhaps that was a bit mean. Some other time. He also felt his chastisement was somewhat ruined by the fact he still couldn't stop smiling. "Can you sit up at all?"

Yuu grunted, which could have been either a yes or a no. But after a moment, he did start to shift, maneuvering so that he could get his elbows under him. When it was clear that this probably wouldn't be successful, Akane moved forward to help. Between the two of them, he did eventually end up sitting, but it certainly didn't look like he would manage to stay that way for long.

Mika scooted forward, ignoring for the moment the fact that his legs had fallen asleep and were now coming back pins and needles, so that he was directly behind Yuu again. "Here, you can lean on me," he suggested. It was a testament to how tired Yuu was that he didn't put up a fight, but instead let himself drift back until he was propped against Mika's chest and shoulder. In this position, Mika was even more aware of the shivers running through Yuu's back.

Akane caught Mika's eye for a moment, giving him a look that he couldn't decipher. Then she picked up the blanket pile, and tossed it over the both of them, even though Mika certainly didn't feel cold anymore. In that moment, he thought he may never feel cold again.

"Do you feel like you might pass out again?" Akane asked, pulling Mika out of his train of thought.

"Everything is spinning, but I don't think so. So I don't need that stupid packet, Mika. I know you're still holding it."

"But Yuu-chan, you can't even sit up on your own. How do you expect to walk home?"

It took both Akane and Mika to convince Yuu to drink the packet, through a combination of cajoling and Mika threatening to force feed it to him. Once he had finished it, Mika could feel a different sort of shudder run through Yuu's back, but he did begin to sit up more on his own. Then Yuu attempted to toss the empty pack away from him. It didn't go particularly far, and since it seemed as if he was feeling a bit better, Mika permitted himself to laugh just a bit at his friend's lack of throwing prowess. He assumed that Yuu scowled in response, but in their position, he couldn't see his expressions.

"Alright, now that I've drank that stupid packet, and Mika's laughed at me, can we go home? I'm cold."

Sure enough, Mika could still almost feel Yuu shaking, even though they weren't touching anymore. "Of course," he replied. A part of him wondered exactly just what was that tone of voice he used, and why it was so gentle. Akane was looking at him again. He busied himself with trying to stand on his still-asleep legs, once he was sure Yuu wouldn't collapse backward.

Yuu didn't so much end up standing as being dragged upright by Akane and Mika, with an arm draped over each of their shoulders. They wrapped the blankets around him like a cloak and set off, only stumbling once or twice on the stairs.

The walk back home took several times longer than usual. They had to stop at what seemed like every intersection, both because Yuu didn't have the stamina to walk for very long and because Mika and Akane were compensating by taking most of his weight.

One such stop found them leaning against a wall in the courtyard by the laundry house. The fountain burbled miserably as usual, spitting out its thin trickle of rust-colored water and generally doing nothing to lift anyone's spirits. Yuu looked wistfully at the steam curling from the pipes on the laundry house roof. "I wish I could go up there."

"No way," commented Akane, breathing hard. "You're heavy. There's no way we're carrying you up that ladder."

"Hey, I could get up there, eventually."

"Says the boy who has looked and acted like an overcooked noodle across half the city," Mika said. "You'd fall."

Yuu huffed in annoyance, but seemed to see their point, since he didn't argue. He only signaled that they should continue on.

From there, it wasn't far to their home. When they got there, the kids were still crowded on the steps, chatting and playing but with a bit less energy than usual. Taichi, who had the sharpest eyes, was the first to spot them. He leaped up, yelling, "they're home!"

The three of them quickly found themselves surrounded by little faces which managed to look excited, curious and worried all at once. "I'm fine," Yuu said gruffly before the questions could start.

"Alright everyone, let us through to the house," Akane chided. "Yuu is really cold."

They trudged slowly up the steps and into the house, kids crowding in behind them. Mika made straight for the cook stove in the corner. They had managed to ration well enough to have just a bit of fuel left, and he was determined to use it.

Akane left to light a candle for them while Mika helped Yuu lower himself against the wall, and rearranged the blankets so he was cocooned. Then he moved to fill the stove and light it.

"Wait, Mika, you didn't get the fuel, did you?" Yuu asked, worry in his voice.

"It's fine. You need to be warm."

"But what if that's all that we have until next month?"

"It's okay, I'll go out early tomorrow and finish picking up more," Akane added, returning with a small candle to set on the floor before Yuu. "We technically never got this month's rations after all."

Yuu looked like he didn't believe her, but was too tired to put up a fight. Mika finished poking up a small fire in the stove, and then slumped down next to Yuu. He felt nearly as tired.

Akane turned away to look at their siblings, who had crowded in a small circle around the goings on. "Let's go back outside," she suggested. "Yuu-nii should probably take a nap, and so we have to be quiet." She began herding children outside, but turned her head back to look at the two of them, eyes sparkling with something he still couldn't place, "Oh, Mika, would you stay and watch Yuu, make sure he doesn't go running off to fight more vampires?" There were several exclamations from her crowd wondering how Yuu had fought vampires, and one sleepy one from beside Mika about not being that stupid. And then the family was out the door, leaving just Yuu and Mika before the stove.

Mika sighed, feeling the heat beginning to come off the small, and the brush of the blanket cocoon against his bare arm. A hand worked its way out of said cocoon and started to unwind it. Mika nearly protested, until Yuu simply extended the pile across both of them, then burrowed inside again, only his face visible from the chin up. It was so comfortable to be warm and tucked under the blankets with Yuu, who was still very much alive, a fact which still sent waves of relief crashing through Mika. He felt like he could easily go for a nap too. But first, "Yuu, what were you thinking? Did you forget that vampires are stronger than humans? And even if they weren't, she was bigger than you!"

Yuu scowled, the effect somewhat ruined by the pile of blankets on top of him, but his voice was still sharp. "That's the problem isn't it? Those guys are always kicking the shit out of someone smaller than them. I can't stand watching that sort of thing."

"But then you just get hurt."

"Yeah, but at least I'm getting hurt because I was willing to pick a fight, not just because I was in the wrong spot, or desperate for help. Can you please just drop it Mika? I want to sleep."

"Okay. I just don't like seeing you get hurt," Mika mumbled, unable to meet Yuu's eye.

They were silent for a moment, but Yuu was willing to forgive quickly. "Sorry for worrying you," he said quietly, also not looking at Mika. But then he allowed his head to droop onto Mika's shoulder, his breath falling into a pattern of tiny, light snores almost immediately.

This left Mika alone with the crackle of the stove and his thoughts. Yuu's words had stirred up a feeling of shame at his behavior that morning. He had turned away from another person in need, as had everyone around him. Except for Yuu. It was always Yuu who would jump in where he felt something was unjust, no matter the consequences. It was that kind of foolishness that made Mika afraid; he couldn't shake the feeling that someday, Yuu could be killed for such an act. And yet it was the sort of kindness that they all needed so desperately. Something that Mika even couldn't provide; he thought far too much for such recklessness. Instead, he soaked in Yuu's special brand of kindness like a sponge, as if in response to his lack.

Mika studied Yuu's face as best as he could, wondering if there was some clue there as to how someone could turn out that way. There were no clues, but Yuu had gained a bit more color in it since he had drank the nutrition packet, and his mouth had fallen slightly open. He made such a cute sight asleep, although that was not a word Yuu would ever permit used to describe him within earshot, that Mika couldn't resist reaching his free hand up to run his fingers lightly through Yuu's hair. It was sort of an awkward reach, but Mika did it anyway. He had done the same when Yuu was still unconscious, and he was wondering if touching Yuu's hair was something someone could get addicted too, because he really didn't want to stop. The repetitive motion was soothing, and before long, the fire was beginning to blur as it danced in his vision. He drifted off soon after, the presence of the boy next to him forefront in his mind as he fell asleep.

Yuu spent most of the rest of the day sleeping. He woke once to eat dinner, wolfing down several shares before promptly passing out again, this time with his head back on Mika's lap. Mika stayed awake after dinner, and talked in low voices with Akane and the kids, although they required frequent shushing, until his family went up to bed. They took most of the blankets, but it was still warmest next to the stove; Mika waited until they had burned through the last of the remaining fuel before gently shaking Yuu's shoulder.

"Wha' time is it?" He muttered blearily, sitting up with a groan and rubbing an eye. His hair was sticking up in every direction on the side that he had slept on, and Mika had to fight the urge to reach out and smooth it down.

"I don't know, after curfew some time. The stove is out; we should move upstairs."

This time, Yuu was able to stand without assistance, although it still looked like a lot of effort. Mika kept a close eye on him, and a hand drifting close to his elbow to support him if he fell. The ladder was also a slow process, which caused Mika more anxiety than he thought was strictly necessary. He stood at the bottom while Yuu labored to the top, wondering if he would get flattened if Yuu slipped and fell.

However, eventually, they found themselves in the loft. Yuu headed straight for his typical lonely corner, dragging his blanket behind him.

"Oh no you don't," Mika hissed.

Green eyes turned back to look at him, reflecting the flickering light of the candle stub Mika had brought up. "What?"

"You are not sleeping on your own again. Tonight you're sleeping with everyone."

Yuu made an annoyed noise. "It's plenty warm since the stove was on all day. I'm fine."

"No you're not. Nice try," Mika reached forward and grabbed Yuu's arm, "I can tell you're still shivering, and you have goose bumps. Besides, it won't stay this warm for long."

They stared at each other for a moment in a silent contest of wills, Mika's arm still holding Yuu's wrist so he couldn't scramble away to his corner. Yuu was the first one to look away. "Ugh, I am not going to win a single argument with you today, am I?"

"Do you win one ever?" Mika smiled at the exasperation in his friend's voice. "Now come over here."

Yuu did as he was told and crawled back to the pile. He lay down after a moment's hesitation, with his back to the group, and pulled his blanket over top. "There, are you happy?"

"Yes." Mika replied, sinking down to the floor with his own blanket, and snuggling into the group. He felt warm and sleepy again right away. He was sure that, despite their nap that afternoon, he could drop off without much difficulty. It became clear after only a few moments, though, that Yuu was having trouble. Mika could feel the other boy shifting beside him, turning from side to side and making the floor creak faintly.

"Hey, settle down, you'll wake everyone else," Mika whispered.

"This is not comfortable, Mika!" Yuu hissed back. "I have an elbow in my spine, and a cold foot on my leg, and they all keep moving around. I won't get any sleep at all."

Mika sighed and opened an eye. Everything before him was shadows blurred by tiredness, but he could make out Yuu sitting up and trying to extract his blanket from a set of small hands firmly clamped around the edge. He got it free with some effort, and made to scoot away from the pile. "You'll just shiver and be miserable all night."

"Better than being shoved awake every five minutes."

"Come here, I'll protect you from them." Mika's eyes had begun to adjust to the dark, so he could see Yuu's confused look. His attempts to relocate had put him within Mika's reach, so he took Yuu's wrists, and guided him back down to the floor. Mika then wrapped his arms around the other boy, pulled him close, and draped his blanket over both of them.

Yuu made a surprised noise in response, which Mika was sure he would deny sounded quite like a squeak if asked. "What are you doing?"

"I'll get jabbed in the back by the elbows, and you'll be warm. It all works out." His eyes drifted shut again. The heat at his back, and now his front, gave him a heady dose of drowsiness.

"This is strange," Yuu protested, still squirming within the circle of Mika's arms.

However, Mika was not going to let him go so easily. He couldn't stand to see that shivering back one more night, especially when he could tell that Yuu still felt poorly. "Just until you feel better. Then you can go back to being cold on your own if you want. Now hush."

Yuu shifted once more, turning over so that he was facing away. He fell still, in a rigid sort of way. Mika pulled him closer, and instinctively curled around Yuu's body, an action which he would have felt too awkward to do if he was more awake and alert. He waited a moment to see if Yuu would try to wiggle away again, and then pulled back the arm trapped under his side, so it wouldn't fall asleep overnight. He left the other arm draped across Yuu's chest.

Mika could feel his mind trying to pull down into the deep comfort, but he forced himself to stay awake. He suspected that if he fell asleep first, Yuu would crawl back to his cold corner of the loft. He waited, for what felt like an eternity, as Yuu slowly relaxed into his hold, and his breathing began to even out.

Only then did Mika allow his mind to fall into the fuzzy space just before sleep. Even as his thoughts drifted lazily, he was aware of the warmth on all sides, the line of Yuu's spine and his weight against Mika's chest and stomach, and the handful of hairs brushing against his face. He absently lifted a hand to brush them away, and then without thinking, ran his fingers through the soft strands again, falling back into the motion from that afternoon.

He froze when Yuu shifted, and came instantly awake; Mika had been certain he was asleep. He was sure that since he had been caught Yuu would really leave this time. Mika didn't think it would be good for him to sleep so cold, but beneath that there was a more selfish reason that he didn't want to admit. He had gotten so used to being in contact with Yuu, that he was afraid he would feel just as cold and empty without the other boy there.

When Yuu didn't move again, Mika began to think he had gotten lucky, and that Yuu was still asleep. That hope was dashed when Yuu murmured, his voice blurred, "you were doing that this afternoon too."

Mika felt his face beginning to burn, and snatched his hand away. He was mortified to be caught not once, but twice. Their proximity didn't seem so nice anymore. His stomach dropped at the thought that perhaps this was making Yuu feel uncomfortable, rather than helping him. But Yuu hadn't moved away yet, which confused him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."

"Ah, uh, no it's fine." Yuu sounded as if he was more awake now too, and there was a tinge of embarrassment to his tone. He paused, and Mika was more than ready to pretend none of this had happened if that's what Yuu wanted. But then he spoke again, "It, um, felt sort of," another pause, this time as if he was searching for a word, "nice. I don't, you know, mind."

Mika blinked a few times, at a loss for words himself, and more startled than when Yuu had first moved. Had Yuu just given him permission to play with his hair? It seemed impossible, and his face heated even more at the thought that maybe Yuu had like it. He wished he could see Yuu's face, and if he was blushing just as much; it had sounded as if he was.

Mika reached his hand out again tentatively, part of him convinced that Yuu would flinch away. He barely brushed his hand against Yuu's hair, but when he didn't move away, or freeze, Mika became bolder, and carded his fingers through it this time. Then again.

They both relaxed again, Mika still moving his hand gently against Yuu's head. He felt the desire for sleep dragging on him again, and this time he relented. Just before Mika drifted off, he heard a faint hum of contentment, one that Yuu likely hadn't meant for him to hear, but which left him with a new warmth curling in his heart too.

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A/N- And that concludes this mini-arc! I have figured there will be four in all: the two introductory chapters, than this arc, and I have two more planned. We will see if it stays that way, or if there winds up being more.


	6. Opportunity

A/N- Sorry it has taken so long on this chapter all. School has started again, and it's my final year, so things are rather out of control. Unfortunately this means that this will likely be the update speed. I do have a lot of the next chapter written, but not a whole lot of clue when I will next have time to work on it. I apologize again, and thanks for sticking with me through this.

* * *

"Hey, Yuu-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you planning on spending all day up here again?" Mika looked down at the boy relaxed next to him on the tiles of the laundry house roof. Yuu had his hands crossed behind his head and feet crossed at the ankles. At some point he had kicked off his shoes so that his toes could touch the roof, and his eyes were half-lidded and directed toward the ceiling of the cavern although Mika doubted he was seeing anything. It had been a week since the ration center incident, as Mika had taken to silently referring to it. Yuu had spent nearly every moment he could up here, and Mika joined him most of the time. He had become strangely afraid of letting Yuu out of his sight. The fact that he didn't trust Yuu not to pick more fights with vampires might have had something to do with it.

"Yeah, of course. What else is there for me to do?"

Mika had to admit that Yuu had a point. They didn't exactly have school, or work, or really anything to occupy their time down here. Perhaps that's why Yuu hated it so much; in the brief time that they had known each other on the surface world, he had struck Mika as the kind of person who liked to have something to do.

"I don't know, play with the kids, or walk around or something," Mika suggested. "My legs have been asleep for three days straight I swear."

"No way. This is the only warm spot in the whole city. I'm not giving it up."

Mika sighed and shifted uncomfortably, his ankles and knees feeling stiff. He wound up on his stomach with his head facing the edge of the roof so he could at least watch the activity below. Not that there was much. In the few hours they had been there, he had seen a total of two children collect grimy water from the fountain (for washing not drinking, he hoped), and one small boy kicking stones as he passed through.

He got bored quickly; the only thing moving further out in the city was steam curling from chimneys, and there were only so many shapes it could make. Mika flipped onto his back and laced his hands behind his head as well so that he could sort of see his companion. With the tilt of the roof, Mika could feel the blood rushing down to his head. It also made for a strange view, looking up across Yuu's stomach, and then eventually up his nose. There were much better angles, like when Yuu was first blinking open bleary green eyes in the morning, looking over his shoulder at Mika with his hair sticking up in gravity-defying directions.

It was a sight that he had been privileged enough to see up close for seven days straight (not that he was counting or anything). He had fully expected that the next night after the ration center incident Yuu would crawl back to his cold corner of the loft. Instead, he had completely surprised Mika by mumbling something about 'still feeling like shit,' and then tucking his back up against Mika's chest again. The third night he had made a vague mention of the cold and not being at one hundred percent yet. After that, he had stopped making excuses.

It had become almost routine for Mika to sleep curled around Yuu, fingers carding through his soft hair as they drifted off. He also enjoyed trying to figure out what would cause Yuu to make a relaxed sigh, or contented hum. So far it seemed as if Yuu particularly like when Mika would lightly brush his temple or the spot where his hairline met the nape of his neck. In those moments, when he could make Yuu happy and help him fall asleep, it felt like Mika's own troubles would wash away. There was no vampire city, no bitter cold winter, just the two of them and the warmth.

Mika was beginning to suspect that there were words one would put to those sorts of feelings, but it wasn't something he was going to think about just yet.

Yuu had just began to snore lightly when Mika heard voices down the street. Welcome for any distraction from his own thoughts, he flipped back onto his stomach. For a nerve-wracking second or two he felt himself sliding down the tiles. Once he was fully secure and propped up on his hands, he could see that the source was a group of people a little way down the street. He was instantly interested, for the group consisted of a human girl, three vampire guards, and a noble of all people. They didn't seem to have seen him and Yuu up on the roof, and although he couldn't hear more than the murmur of their conversation, he wasn't going risk moving closer and being noticed.

As Mika watched, the girl smiled, big and genuine, and the noble patted her shoulder, fingers lingering for just a moment too long on her collarbone. This made Mika wonder; almost no one smiled like that anymore, and certainly no nobles treated their livestock as such. And just _what_ was a noble doing down in their poor little section of the lower city? Mika decided he would have to try to meet this vampire, or perhaps easier, the girl, and learn what was going on.

He watched until the noble nodded a farewell and swept off down the street, surrounded by his contingent of guards. The girl headed in the opposite direction, passing just below their roof; she still appeared unaware of their presence. Mika twisted around so he could look back at his companion over his shoulder. He didn't think Yuu would move any time soon, but he probably shouldn't completely vanish. He whined, "Yuu-chan, I'm so bored!"

The snoring cut off. "So? You woke me up."

"Fine," he pretended to huff, "I'll go walk around on my own then. Don't get into any trouble without me." There.

He scrambled across the roof and down the ladder before Yuu could reply, just in time to see the girl disappear around a corner. Mika ran to catch up, wondering exactly how he expected to raise this topic of conversation. He followed at a reasonable distance for a few blocks, mulling it over, and also hoping to get out of any range where Yuu could possibly overhear. He doubted that what he wanted to know would go over particularly well.

He was saved from trying to figure out how to approach the girl when she whirled around at an intersection. She planted herself firmly, crossed her arms and demanded, "Are you following me?"

Mika stopped and blinked, taken aback. "Umm…" He hadn't planned for this.

"I'm pretty sure you are. What do you want?" Her brown eyes stated clearly that she would hit him if he didn't answer properly. She was a few inches shorter than Mika, but they looked about the same age, and she looked pissed enough to make it hurt.

"I saw you talking to that vampire noble. I was wondering what it was about."

"Oh," she said. The annoyance in her eyes was replaced by caution. This only increased Mika's sense that something must be going on. "What of it?"

"I'm just curious. It's not often you see vampires down here, much less a noble. Especially talking to the livestock."

"We're acquainted."

"There's more to it than that though."

"Why should I tell you?" There was a bite to her words, but also an undercurrent of fear.

Mika shrugged. "Like I said, I'm curious. But I get the feeling that it's not something particularly legal; you look nervous. Now I don't really care, but I'm sure others might." Inside, his conscience was screaming at him that he was being a jerk; it also sounded suspiciously like Yuu. He did feel bad, but brushed it off. He had started to form an idea in the back of his mind. If this was what he suspected… well, he didn't really know what he would do with that information, actually.

The girl was looking even more nervous now. Her eyes darted to the buildings on either side of them, as if expected to see an eavesdropper through one of the windows. "Alright, fine, come with me." She lunged forward and grabbed Mika by the wrist, hard, and began dragging him down the street.

He struggled to remember the turns they took as she whisked him down several small alleys. Finally they stood before a door that looked much like the one to his home. She pulled him inside, slammed it shut, and shoved him down onto a bench. Once she lit a candle, Mika could see that it did look almost identical to his house; different drawings on the walls, but the same space and furniture. It appeared as if no one else was home.

The girl thumped herself down onto the other bench and shot a poisonous glance at him.

"So, uh, will you tell me then?" He asked when it seemed like she wouldn't volunteer anything.

"We have a deal, alright. I let Master Ferid drink my blood, and in exchange he gets me whatever supplies I ask for."

"Ah."

"Are you not satisfied with that answer?" She snapped, but some of her fight seemed to be fading now that she had said her piece. She was also staring hard at Mika's face, as if searching for signs of judgement or that he would report her. Likely she would be killed if he did tell any authorities.

"No, I kind of thought that might be it. How do you even make a deal like that?"

The girl looked at the table. "I heard of him from a friend. She was, ah, rude to him on the street. He said he would spare her if she would come to his mansion as a guest that night. She kept going after that, and began bringing back the most wonderful things – food, extra candles and blankets, even a toy once. So I asked her to introduce us." She paused for a moment, staring at her hands as she laced her fingers together. Then she met Mika's eyes, defiance in her face. "It's kept my family alive before. I got medicine when my brother was sick, and extra fuel this winter."

"I don't think it's bad," he reassured. "Do you know if this Master Ferid has deals with others? Or just you and your friend?"

"I think he has others. He's a noble, so he can get a lot of supplies. Enough for a few of us at least."

Mika turned this over in his head for a moment. He had considered taking a job for the vampires at the ration center or the bloodletting hall before, but had always been held back by how Yuu might react. The meager benefits never managed to outweigh the thought of his disapproval. But this sounded like a much more profitable deal.

"Are you interested?" Mika looked up at the girl, startled. She was perceptive, he had to give her that. She flashed him a bold smile, and explained, "Why else would you be asking those questions?"

"I don't really know," he muttered down toward the table. Is it something he could do? Would be willing to do? Let a vampire drink his blood for supplies?

"Think about it. If you want me to introduce you to Master Ferid, I'll be in the same place tomorrow."

"Why would you offer?" Mika wondered, searching her face for a sign of her thoughts. "I haven't been exactly… nice."

"Because we're all desperate," she said, turning to look toward the unlit cook stove in the corner, the shadows in the room falling across her eyes. "They've got more than they can use, and we scrape by down here on scraps. A lot don't make it, and I'm guessing you've got people to protect too. Any way to bleed the vampires dry, take it."

"Was that a joke?"

She turned back to meet his eyes and grinned, "My name's Himeno by the way."

"Mika. Nice to meet you." He had the feeling that Yuu would like this person. Too bad they probably could never meet, because if Mika took the deal it would certainly need to remain secret. "Now, is there any way you could show me back?" He asked, feeling sheepish.

Himeno laughed and offered him a hand as she got up from the table.

* * *

When Mika returned to the laundry house square with Himeno, Yuu had left the roof for some unknown destination. Hopefully he wasn't off getting himself in trouble. She bid him farewell and wandered back the way they had came.

Perhaps it was best Yuu wasn't there, Mika thought to himself, dropping down onto the rim of the fountain. He wondered if Yuu would be able to see right through him, to all of the big questions he was turning over in his mind. He could be scarily perceptive like that on occasion. The fountain burbled in Mika's ear, his mind warping the sound of water dripping onto stone into words accusing him of giving in to the vampires.

He shuddered. Those green eyes could get scary when Yuu was mad. Would Yuu ever understand if he found out? Would he ever forgive it? Mika wasn't sure, and that frightened him. He hadn't really considered before that there were more ways that he could lose Yuu than if his friend died. And in a way, losing his trust and friendship might be more painful. To see him and be constantly reminded of what he could no longer have.

But if Mika could keep the secret… well then their quality of life could potentially increase by leaps and bounds. Much more than a ration center job. And Mika thought he could possibly keep the secret. He had honed his skills of lying and redirecting attention for years before coming to the Hyakuya Orphanage after all. A little voice in his head murmured _but it wasn't enough, back then_. He squashed it quick, and told it he was older and smarter now, so there. It didn't work nearly as well as he would like.

He dropped his head in his hands and pushed his hands into his hair, fingers pressing hard against his scalp as if he could squeeze out the answers. There was no answering flash of brilliance. He sighed and lifted his head again in time to see Yuu coming up the street.

"Mika! Where did you go? I've been looking all over for you," he called as soon as he caught Mika's eye.

Mika suppressed a groan, and put on a smile. It seemed that making a decision would have to wait.

* * *

Mika woke disoriented in the middle of the night, unsure of the hour or why he had been pulled from his sleep. His confusion lasted only a moment, as he realized that Yuu was moving restlessly, muttering something in his sleep. He reached out to shake Yuu's shoulder; where his fingers met skin, he could feel that it was clammy with cold sweat.

"Hey, wake up," he whispered, as loud as he dared, and shook him harder.

Yuu came awake with a strangled gasping noise, and jerked around so that they were face to face. His eyes were cloudy and frightened, his body tensed against Mika's.

"It's okay, Yuu-chan, it's just me, Mika." Mika reached forward to brush away the hair that had been plastered to Yuu's forehead with sweat. He rubbed his other hand up and down Yuu's still-taught back, rambling out words in what he hoped was a comforting tone until Yuu's face began to clear and he regained some sense of his surroundings.

A shudder passed through Yuu's chest, and he relaxed marginally. He reached forward to grip the front of Mika's shirt, and buried his face into Mika's shoulder. "It keeps slipping away, so much, so much gone, pulling and pulling and I feel like I'm cold and shriveling up and falling and it's all going black, dark, nothing left. I'm not there anymore. Mika, am I still here?" His words were muffled as they were spoken against Mika's collarbone, but that didn't disguise the fear or the hitch in his breath.

Mika felt as if something inside him was shriveling inside _him_ in response, as he pieced together that Yuu had been dreaming about the sensation of having so much blood drained away. He doubted that Yuu would have told him this if he was more awake, but for now Mika murmured, "Of course you're here Yuu-chan. You're right here next to me. See, can't you feel this?" He continued to rub up and down Yuu's back, and pressed his cheek against the top of Yuu's head. There was a small nod against his shoulder, but Yuu had started to shake now that he wasn't entirely tensed up.

Mika ignored the fact that he could feel wetness against his shoulder. He held Yuu tight and continued to croon reassurances that everything was alright and that Yuu was still there until the shaking receded. Yuu unwound his hands from the front of Mika's shirt, but made no further move to return to their normal sleeping position. Before long, the soft, even breaths of sleep ghosted across Mika's neck.

It took far longer for Mika to feel tired again. He regarded the sleeping boy in his arms; Yuu's face had relaxed back to a softer state, but it was hard to forget the panic that had clouded those green eyes not long ago. It was an expression that didn't belong there. Mika felt an intense desire to hurt anyone who ever made Yuu that afraid.

But he was so scared that something similar would happen again. Yuu had gotten angrier at the vampires, the city, and their life as the years had passed. He was certain to get in trouble again. And who was to say that the next time he would come out with only nightmares to show. Everything inside him screamed that he needed to protect Yuu from whatever their messed up life wanted to throw at them.

The conversation with Himeno that afternoon floated to the front of Mika's mind, the solution coming to him clear as day. Perhaps he could ask the vampire for protection, for Yuu and his family and himself. Even if he couldn't get a direct promise of protection, having as powerful a connection as a noble could get them out of a tight spot someday. Suddenly, the weighing of letting a vampire drink his blood against their need for supplies seemed meaningless. If he could only assure Yuu's safety, make sure he wouldn't get dragged back to the bloodletting hall for punishment again, it would be worth it.

Mika examined his new resolve, tested it against his worry about Yuu's disapproval if he ever found out. It held strong. He decided that he would go to meet Himeno the next day, and ask her to introduce him to Ferid.


	7. Sharp

A/N – Hello all! The term is almost done, and guess who is procrastinating her finals by working on this – this girl. But happy day for you, that means you get a new chapter for the first time in months. However, in case you have not noticed, the rating of the story has changed to Teen, basically because Ferid is being Ferid – which is creepy and I've always thought he toed the line of pedophilia just a bit too closely. Please be aware, and no pressure to read if it does not make you comfortable.

 **TW: Borderline pedophilia**

* * *

A week to the day after Mika was introduced to Master Ferid, he found himself waiting in the mouth of a dimly lit alleyway just off the ration center square. The meeting itself had been brief, consisting of a short introduction, and the vampire informing Mika that he smelled quite nice, flashing an unsettling smile, and saying "I think something could probably be arranged." Then he had instructed when and where to wait, and that someone would come to collect him.

So here he was, slouched against the wall in this deserted place as it grew later and later, and hoping his supposed escort would arrive before curfew. He had spent the week agonizing over excuses, reasons for him to be leaving and returning so late at night. Of course, when it came down to it, he had mumbled something lame about wanting to stretch his legs, and to not wait up for him, before ducking sheepishly out the door. Seeing as Yuu occasionally vanished off for several hours, needing some time to himself Mika assumed, he hopefully wouldn't question it.

For right now at least, he was more afraid than that his escort wouldn't show. He could get in serious trouble if he was caught out too late. Their family had had more than enough trouble for a while. However, it wasn't long before a lone, white-cloaked figure drifted out of the shadows on the other side of the square and headed straight for his concealed spot.

"I have been sent to bring you to Master Ferid. Follow me," the guard said, and then swept away. Mika hadn't been able to see anything under the raised cowl, but he got the distinct feeling that the vampire hadn't even looked at him. He scrambled afterward anyway, half-jogging to keep up with the long, fast strides.

As the two figures swept up into the heights, Mika watched in wonder as their surroundings changed. Rarely were livestock allowed into even the lowest levels of the upper city. Here, the crumbling, rusting warren of slums was replaced by clean, neat barrack buildings. They certainly Spartan, but Mika could tell they were far nicer than anything he would be permitted to live in. The barracks quickly gave way to civilian-style homes, clustered in terraces carved from the sharp slope of the cavern walls. The homes only grew larger and more opulent after that, seeming to swell out of the stone like precious gems in filigreed settings.

At the point where Mika was certain he would never regain his breath, the streets through which they had been walking opened out into a grand square. Large manors tucked behind high fences clustered along three sides and down the wide ways leading off of the plaza. The fourth side was open to the city. The heights seemed to fall away beneath Mika's feet in a grand, dizzying tumble. The steam dispersed up here and the dim green lights seemed to pulse with life between the splendidly-arched bridges and aqueducts, strewn across the sky like a giant, delicate spider web. No wonder the nobles acted so grand, if this is how they could view the world.

All of this Mika only had a moment to take in before his guide made an annoyed sound from up ahead. The vampire stood near a heavy-looking wrought iron gate. They unlocked it with an equally heavy-looking key as Mika came to join them. The gate swung open with far less creaking than he had expected, but after he had passed through, it swung shut with an imposing boom.

Mika looked up at the imposing façade before him as they made their way up the walk. The house rose several stories in the air, and was adorned with gothic-style windows and moldings. Columns rising high overhead flanked the entrance. Perhaps 'mansion' would be a better title for the building than house. The only visible light shone from a single window, two stories up. Even though the gray stone of the walls and marble of the columns appeared impeccably maintained, there was still an air of decay about the place, a stillness that was off-putting. It had none of the feelings of life that radiated up from the city; he felt as if he was standing before an abandoned, crumbling ruin.

Well of course a vampire noble's house would be off-putting, Mika thought. His stomach was churning and he asked himself over and over why he had believed this was a good idea. But, there was no chance of backing out, as the vampire attendant at his side had rung the bell. The sound echoed through the stone monstrosity before them and then shuddered out into the night.

When there was no reply for several minutes, Mika began to feel a slight sense of relief. Perhaps no one was home and he wouldn't have to go through with this stupid decision. But just as soon as he had the thought, a light flicked on in the window next to the door. The door itself, a structure just as imposing as the rest of the house, creaked open just enough to show the figure of another vampire. This woman wore an elaborate maid's outfit instead of the standard vampire uniform.

"Who is calling on Ferid-sama at this hour?"

"I have another one of Ferid-sama's 'guests.'" Mika thought he caught a hint of distain in the voice of the guard. Perhaps this sort of arrangement was taboo even among the noble class. Mika hadn't considered that. "He knows where to call on me if he needs help with his livestock later."

The maid gave a slight bow, and the guard swept off. This left Mika standing on the porch, his nervousness increasing by the moment. She then looked at him directly for the first time, her gaze sweeping him up and down as if assessing him. She turned away sharply and said, "Follow me."

Mika hurried after her and managed to slip into the mansion before the door shut with a heavy sound. Inside, he couldn't help but stare. They were standing in a long hallway with vaulted ceilings shrouded in shadow. Although the light of the delicate glass lamps along the walls didn't stretch all the way to the roof, he could make out the shapes of incomprehensible carvings. On either side of the hallway ran mirrors buffed to an incredible polish, and at the distant end, a grand marble staircase swept up to other floors. As Mika followed his guide, he watched their shapes waver to either side of them. His own bright blue eyes stared back at him with fear, and he looked away, reminding himself that he was doing this for his family – for all the things they needed, for protection, for a better life here.

The staircase took them to the third floor, where they walked down another hallway. This was much less grand in size and adornment than the first, but still floored in marble and paneled in a carved dark wood. Darkened doorways opened off to either side, and Mika could just faintly make out a bit of what was contained in each in the light from the hallway. Here was what looked like a piano. Through another door he could see a sliver of a shelf lined with ancient books. Still more seemed inexplicably empty or had their doors shut tight. The air of decay that he had felt from the front of the house only increased the farther he walked.

Finally, they reached a closed door with a light shining from underneath. Here the maid stopped. She turned to look down her nose at Mika. "Be courteous and only speak if the Master addresses you or gives you permission. Ferid-sama does not like disrespect. Do you hear me?"

Mika swallowed, feeling as if he couldn't speak out of turn if he wanted to, and nodded.

Then the maid turned and knocked on the door. There was a question from inside, which, without vampire hearing abilities, Mika could not make out. "I have brought your guest, Ferid-sama," the maid replied. She must have gotten an affirmative answer, because she opened the door and pushed Mika inside. He had barely a moment to blink and register his change of location before the door swung shut and clicked behind him.

The room itself was lit by a dim, gold light. It illuminated several more sets of tall bookshelves, and a large couch, upholstered in fine looking fabric and backed with wood carved into delicate shapes. On the far wall of the spacious room was a grand bed, with a canopy in deep red fabric. Mika suppressed a shudder and hoped that Ferid wasn't planning to drink from him on that bed.

The vampire himself lounged at one end of the couch, an elbow resting on the arm to prop up his chin, and a book in the other hand. He had one leg draped over the other and looked entirely at ease. "Ah, Mika-kun, I am so glad you came." Mika could feel the chill red eyes watching him, and see a flash of fangs as Ferid spoke. His sense of discomfort increased.

"Did Deliah treat you well? And what do you think of my home?"

Suspecting that he was most likely required to answer, and in a way that would please the vampire, Mika mustered his best, genuine-looking (hopefully) smile and said, "She was quite helpful, thank you. And your house is splendid."

"Wonderful to hear. Now, why don't you come and sit next to me, Mika-kun. May as well get straight to business." Ferid wore a hungry expression as he patted the fat cushion beside him. Mika had no choice but to make his way over to the couch, doing his best to not display his nerves, and perch on the edge next to his host. Seeming to sense the boy's discomfort despite Mika's best efforts, Ferid continued, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. If you taste as wonderful as you smell, then I hope our arrangement can continue for a long while." Ferid brushed a few strands of hair away from Mika's neck with a gloved hand and leaned forward to inhale deeply. "Ah, and you do smell wonderful after all."

Mika was sure that the vampire could feel the faint trembling in his core. All of his instincts were on high alert and telling him to run far away from the predator before him, but he tried to keep as still as possible, no matter how difficult it was. He had seen people drained by vampires before. It was hard to keep the images of the pale, glassy-eyed bodies left behind from rising to the surface of his imagination.

He swallowed back these fears, and opened his mouth to speak. The maid had said to wait for permission to talk, but this was the most important topic. "Ferid-sama, can I ask a question?" He tried to sound as respectful as possible.

The vampire moved back so that he could see Mika. There was a cold amusement in his red eyes. "Yes, you may. Although I believe I know what you will ask."

"Ferid-sama, about payment…" Mika trailed off as Ferid nodded.

"Yes, that is exactly what I thought you would ask. I can provide anything you request within reason. Food, clothing, supplies, I have access to it all. I will let you know if a request is unreasonable. What would you have for this evening?"

Mika had thought long and hard about this. "We need more fuel to heat our home." It shouldn't have required that much long, hard thought. Any household in the city would jump on the opportunity for extra fuel. No, Mika's conflict had been of a more personal nature. If they got enough fuel to keep the house better heated through the night, perhaps Yuu would refuse to sleep next to him anymore. He had become accustomed to feeling the other boy's heat, his heartbeat, the faint stir of his breath on Mika's shoulder. He enjoyed running his fingers through Yuu's soft black hair, and hearing the small sounds of sleepy comfort his companion would make. Perhaps it was because he had never had the opportunity to sleep with a parent or sibling as a child, but sleeping wrapped tight with another person made him unreasonably happy. Mika wasn't sure if he was willing to give that up.

But the fact remained that his family needed the fuel just as much as anyone else, despite his selfish desires.

"Yes, of course. I will see to it that you are provided with some fuel and a meal before you leave." Ferid was beginning to sound impatient at these formalities, and the hunger was returning to his expression. "Now Mika-kun, I really would like to see how you taste. It will be easiest if you turn your back to me."

Mika had no choice but to obediently shift on the couch until he could no longer see the vampire from the corner of his vision. He tensed again, as he could feel Ferid leaning close behind him. The presence behind him felt large and overwhelming; Mika knew it could crush him easily. Cold fingers brushed slowly at the band around his neck and then pushed it up, better exposing his veins. The hands then settled down onto his shoulders. Their grip there was not painful, but it was firm enough to keep him from jolting away when the bite came. His back went rigid instantly, and everything in him screamed to rip away from that grasp, but there was no escaping it.

Mika had thought that he at least had an idea of what this would be like from the bloodletting sessions. It was so much worse. He could feel Ferid's fangs inside his neck, and the pulling at his veins. It wasn't consistent like the pull of the needle either; it came and went along with the gulping and sucking sounds just below his ear. Mika was intensely aware of Ferid's fingers curling against his collarbones, the vampire's body hovering far too close behind him, and the mouth and tongue against his skin, lapping away at his blood. He wanted to shudder in disgust, and had to think of all the good he could do for his precious family to stop himself.

And then there was the breath along his neck. Mika had become accustomed to, perhaps even come to like, Yuu's breath in the hollow of his collarbone as they slept, but this was nothing alike. It was cold and deeply _wrong_ in a way he couldn't really describe. It didn't help that he was beginning to get light-headed.

Inexplicably, this led him to think of what would happen if Yuu was a vampire and needed to feed from him. As awful as all of this felt, he knew he wouldn't hesitate to offer up his blood. He wondered if it would feel any different.

And then everything started spinning. Any ability to hold thoughts in his head was going fast; it was hard enough keeping the room in his signt. Mika's hands clenched against the plush cushions of the couch and his elbows locked to try to keep himself upright. A roaring had started in his ears, and he vaguely wondered if he would actually die here. But who will take care of everyone, of Yuu? he thought. There wasn't time for an answer, as the darkness at the corners of his vision wrapped him up in blackness and one last flash of green eyes in his mind before he was gone.

* * *

When Mika came to, before his eyes had resolved the world into much more than a blurry mass of color, he felt someone's hair lightly brushing his cheek. For one glorious moment he imagined he was at home waking up next to Yuu. And then the world resolved into shapes, and the shapes into Ferid, wearing a distantly concerned expression while two locks of hair he kept free at the front had swung low around his face. A face which was much too close for Mika's comfort; he took a deep breath and tried to regain enough composure to not scoot away quickly.

"Ah, Mika-kun, it's good to have you back with us."

"How long was I out?" He asked, his voice sounding as creaky and dry as his mouth felt.

"Only a few moments. I do apologize. Sometimes I get… overzealous." There was something to the way that last word rolled across Ferid's tongue that Mika was going to ignore for the sake of his sanity. "But really, you _are_ just as delicious as you smell. A rare delicacy."

There wasn't really anything to say to that. But good manners dictated Mika mumble out a, "thank you."

"It was my pleasure, of course. I also had Deliah bring up some food while you were recovering. Please, help yourself."

Mika turned his head with some difficulty until he could see where a small table had been set up next to the couch. It was a struggle to drag his body into an upright, sitting position, but he managed. Everything swung about dizzyingly, and his stomach churned. The food on the table looked nicer than anything he had eaten in years, with a rich-looking fish stew steaming next to a bowl of fluffy white rice and a small plate with a piece of cake. Cake was a food he had thought he may never get to eat again. And of course, Mika didn't want to touch a bit of it.

For the sake keeping Ferid happy, and to prevent himself from collapsing on the way home, he had to try. Ferid watched him intently while he ate, and still sat too close for comfort. That did nothing to help Mika feel any better, but he did manage to eat about half of the stew and rice, and all of the cake. Even if it did taste like paper on his tongue under the weight of that cold red gaze.

Once Mika had finished eating, Ferid leaned back into his corner of the couch and draped one leg over the other, looking just as he had when Mika first entered the room. "When would you wish to return, Mika-kun?"

Mika bit his lip. The extra fuel would be so valuable to his family, but he was worried that if he was off to mysterious locations late at night too often, someone (Yuu) might get suspicious. He would have to be careful. The world was still tilting in a disconcerting fashion, and it made it hard to think of a good answer. The best he could produce was, "I don't know."

Ferid frowned slightly, but said, "I won't pressure you for an answer today. But I do expect you to return at some point. It was such a pleasure hosting you." His voice slid over the word _pleasure_ like oil on water, and his cheeks were flushed with blood. _My blood_ , Mika thought. It did nothing to settle the roiling in his stomach.

"How will I contact you?" Mika asked. Part of him never wanted to return to this grand, empty house or to see Ferid again, but the rest of him knew he would in order to help his precious family.

"I will have someone meet you tomorrow, in the same place and at the same time, to deliver your payment. He will check back there most nights and can carry a message to me. Now, can you make your way back to the city on your own, or will you need an escort?"

Mika felt like he couldn't deal with seeing another vampire at the moment, so he replied, "I think I can find my way home." And hearing the dismissal in the question, he stood from the couch. He couldn't say why, but it felt as if turning to face Ferid and bowing at the waist was the appropriate gesture. It made the room reel uncomfortably, but he managed to straighten up, plaster on a smile, and say as brightly as he could, "thank you for your hospitality, Master Ferid."

The vampire smiled, and it was all teeth. "Of course."

As Mika made his way back out into the empty hallway, and down through the house, the emptiness seemed to press on him. He wanted nothing more than to get home and crawl up next to Yuu to sleep. On the main floor, he paused inspected his appearance in the warped glass of the mirrors for any signs that would give away the secret of where he had been that night. He was pale and had dark circles under his eyes, but that should not be visible in the dark, and would go away by the morning. It was good luck that he could conceal the bite mark under his neck collar if he tugged it just so; the wound pulsed angrily as he pulled the cloth down over it. He would have to find somewhere to wash away the two long drips of blood down his neck, but he would worry about that later. For now he was content to hurry outside and breathe the open air as the door swung shut behind him.

* * *

A/N – Thanks for sticking with me through all of that torture I just put poor Mika through. He really does need to go home and fall asleep with his Yuu-chan.


	8. Reaping the Benefits

A/N – Wow, hi guys, it's been a while hasn't it? I apologize for being gone for nearly a year, and for also promising some of you this chapter for like two months (oops). But here we are! Back and in the swing of things, and this chapter is even longer than average to ease your pain, and contains quite a lot of horsing around and fluff. Enjoy!

* * *

The night after his first visit to Ferid's, Mika could be found sitting on the rim of the fountain in the laundry house square, in a thoroughly dark mood. Ferid _had_ come through as promised. Mika had returned to the pickup spot near the ration center, and sure enough, a uniformed vampire had arrived and handed off his fuel. This wondrous prize, which was supposed to allow his family to heat their home properly, had turned out to be even less than a quarter month's rations.

All of Mika's noble plans of creating a better life for his family were not looking as good as he had imagined right now. He glared at the bag of fuel at his feet, half hoping it would catch on fire under the intensity of his displeasure. When it didn't, he growled out a word that once would have earned him a lecture from the orphanage director, and kicked at the bag. He could see what Ferid was doing – keeping Mika reliant on him, especially as they had not arranged a second meeting. To make any sort of significant impact, it looked like he would have to meet with the noble at least weekly. He had a horrible sneaking feeling that it would end up being more than that anyway.

And to make matters worse, the bite wounds, which were at least healing faster than average, were also starting to itch. Mika pushed up the band around his neck to rub vigorously at the skin around each circular scab. He was dying to give the bite itself a good, hard, fingernail scratch, but the last thing he wanted was to break the skin open again. He replaced the neck band and rolled his neck and shoulders to resettle it before kicking the tiny fuel bag again. But then he picked the bag up grudgingly and made off in the direction of home. Some fuel was better than none, right?

Once home, Mika approached the front door cautiously, and checked the cracks along the bottom and sides for any sign of light. Thankfully, there was none. However, he was still hyper-aware that even a step which was too loud could wake someone up. The last thing he wanted was someone to find him with the bag of fuel and start asking questions. He inched the door open, just wide enough to slip through, and closed it as gently as he could. He took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dark and listened intently for any noise. When none came, he crept to the tiny kitchen area and upended his prize into the larger fuel bag. With any luck, no one would notice at all.

Before heading toward the enticing thought of bed, Mika crept out the front door again to stuff the empty bag into the crack where the neighbor's steps were separating from the cobbles. This time, he let the door open and close normally on the way in, and padded softly up into the loft. In the gloom, he could just make out the pile of Hyakuya's, and Yuu sleeping just far enough apart for Mika to slip in. He did just that, before stealing half of Yuu's blanket and collecting his own to throw over the both of them.

Yuu stirred minutely, moving closer to Mika, and mumbling without opening his eyes, "Where were you?"

"Just walking, here and there, you know," Mika brushed the comment off, knowing that Yuu was too sleepy to remember anything in the morning. "Go back to sleep." He briefly considered leaning over to kiss Yuu's forehead. That's what family members did when they came in late, right? Then he wondered just where that thought had come from, and shook it off.

"Just be careful, m'kay. Don't get in trouble for being out after curfew. I'm the only one allowed to get in trouble here."

"I'll be fine," he reassured, despite the fact that it seemed like Yuu had already dropped back into unconsciousness. Tonight, he let his arm fall across Yuu's chest, and felt himself relax in the calm of knowing the other boy was concerned for him, and the feeling of the rise and fall of his breath. Mika drifted off to the heat on all sides that he had become so accustomed to, and the thought that his sneaking mission had been a success.

* * *

It turned out, much to Mika's disappointment, that his sneaking mission had not been the grand success he had hoped for. He was about two bites into breakfast when he caught a look from Akane that made him choke on his rice. He coughed painfully while Yuu pounded on his back (even more painfully, and less helpfully) and asked if he was alright. Mika managed a nod while his eyes streamed. Akane was at least kind enough to wait until he recovered to comment, "Mika, you remembered that we're supposed to be at the bloodletting hall today, right?" They had no such appointment. He nodded again, this time because he was having trouble finding his voice; he was very likely in for it.

Mika did his very best to eat his breakfast slowly, wanting very much to put off this conversation. But eventually, he had to take his last bites and get up from the table. As soon as he put his dish away, Akane grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out the door. The rest of the family followed out onto the lit steps.

"Yuu, you'll stay to watch the kids while we're gone?" Akane asked before they started off.

Yuu scowled and averted his eyes. "Ugh, fine," he mumbled. But, when Mika glanced back over his shoulder, Yuu already had swept Fumie up onto his back piggy-back style and was challenging the other kids to, "Catch us if you can!" before darting off down the block. It still annoyed Mika from time to time that Yuu was so stuck on his I-hate-family image, but moments like this let it slip that it was mostly for show. And he was cute when he was happy and playing with everyone like this.

What was not cute was the look on Akane's face. She was peeved, but she kept her silence until they were out of sight and earshot of the rest. Then she steered them off the normal path to the bloodletting hall, and toward a tall set of stairs. She sat down on one of the lower steps, close to the wall, and patted the seat next to her. Mika sat down, immediately feeling the cold of the ground through his flimsy pants, and he stared determinedly at a spot where the stone was starting to chip away from the edge of the step. He was entirely unprepared to have to explain himself quite so soon, and he was worried she might get mad. It was enough that he couldn't even muster his typical smile.

"So you were out late last night, and the night before."

"Mhm." Mika knew there was no use in trying to pull an excuse for his excursions. She wouldn't be on him if she hadn't noticed the extra fuel.

"And I'm sure you can guess what I found this morning." Mika only hunched up in response. "Mika, its fine if you took a job at the ration center, or bloodletting hall. I mean, I know Yuu would be mad, but I don't mind. I wish you would have told me though," Akane continued.

"It's, um, not that." Mika willed himself to look up at his sister. Now she mostly seemed confused, and a little worried.

"Then where in the world did you get the extra fuel? You better tell me right now Mikaela Hyakuya."

Mika paused for a moment, the words sticking a bit in his throat. "I may have found out how to make a deal with a noble vampire."

"Wait, I don't understand, what could a noble vampire want from…?" Akane trailed off, the realization playing out abruptly on her face. "Oh my god, Mika, are you alright?" Now she sounded frantic. She reached over to push up his neck band; her fingers were freezing from the winter air. Mika winced as the fabric dragged over the tender, itchy bites, and she hissed in sympathy.

"I'm fine," he replied, able to fall back into a more normal appearance of nonchalance now that it was apparent Akane was more worried than angry. He was incredibly relieved by this. "I found out about the noble from another girl who deals with him as well. She's gone to him loads of times and been perfectly safe. I think you'd like her; I could introduce you some time."

"But what you're doing is really dangerous! Even if you don't get drained, there are laws against vampires drinking straight from us. You could get in serious trouble if someone found out you were letting one of them do it willingly."

"He seemed pretty powerful, so I think it will be okay."

"I don't like it. I'm scared you'll get hurt," Akane said, reaching over to take one of his hands. He squeezed it in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

"I have to though. We're slowly dying down here, and I don't think it's going to get any easier. This could help." He paused, thinking about the other reason he had agreed to take Ferid's deal. "And I'm scared too. After what happened to Yuu-chan … Maybe having connections to a noble vampire could get us some protection."

Akane sighed, then leaned over to hug Mika. "You're going to go back to him then, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Just please be careful."

Mika nodded, his cheek rubbing against Akane's hair as he did. "Can I ask you one favor?"

She pulled back so that she could see him again. "You need me to keep it from Yuu."

"Ahahaha, yeah." Mika scratched at the back of his neck sheepishly.

Akane's face screwed up, and a tiny giggle leaked out from between her tightly pressed lips. "I can only imagine what his face would look like if he found out." Then she started laughing in earnest, the sort of overly-loud and slightly hysterical laugh one makes when given a train of thought away from being overwhelmed or afraid.

Mika joined in, picturing Yuu's eyes and mouth wide with shock. "He would be so mad." For a few minutes, any time one of them looked at the other they would both devolve into giggles.

Finally, Akane pulled herself together well enough to say, "Alright, I'll help you keep it from Yuu, if you promise to not get killed. Deal?"

"Deal."

* * *

Following the next few visits to Ferid, hiding the additional fuel from Yuu proved to be relatively easy; it could go right into the normal ration bag, and since Akane mostly did the cooking and thus tended to the stove, he never had to know. Eventually though, Mika had brought home enough extra fuel that even Yuu might get observant. And Ferid proved to be impatient at best – he made it clear that he would like Mika's 'company' at least once a week as Mika had predicted, preferably more. When he was forced to start getting adventurous with his requests, Mika was infinitely grateful to have Akane on his side. The first time he brought home some fresh carrots and potatoes for their typical stew, he couldn't help but notice a pair of bright green eyes looking at him in confusion over the dinner table. At that exact moment, Mika's latest set of healing bite marks had started itching like crazy, making the air feel thick with awkwardness. But before Mika could open his mouth to speak, Akane had stepped in with a smooth statement about bartering cooking skills with a family a few blocks down in exchange for ingredients.

It was not long after the New Year, although Mika could never really tell what day it should be down here, when he got an idea. For a while now, he had watched Yuu sometimes stop on the street to listen if he could hear someone telling a story. He would pause by groups of kids sharing gossip, even if he didn't know the names involved, and eavesdrop on rumors about important vampires or the world outside, no matter how outrageous. On the particular day that Mika had his idea, they had been walking home from the bloodletting hall when Yuu had noticed (and Mika had noticed Yuu noticing) a small huddle of kids sitting on the ground around a boy who was telling a make-believe story about a wizard, a king and some knights. Yuu had quickly claimed that he was still tired, lay down on a short wall near enough to still hear, and after a few moments of grumbling about the hard stone, commandeered Mika's lap as a pillow. Mika did his best not to laugh, and settled back for a wait, his hand falling to Yuu's head to brush his fingers through the soft black hair in a way that was becoming disturbingly close to a reflex by now. A quick look down confirmed that Yuu's face was red at having Mika play with his hair in public, but he didn't object.

They stayed sitting on the wall the entire time the kid was talking. Yuu tried to keep up the appearance that he just wanted to rest, but his eyes would light up as the boy described the wizard casting daring spells, and the king brandishing his bright sword as he lead his knights into battle on horseback. The story was just winding down when it came to Mika to ask Ferid for a storybook. He had noticed several sets of shelves in darkened rooms off of the upstairs hallways in Ferid's mansion, and the man always seemed to be reading something or another when he arrived. Surely he could spare one. And then Yuu could have a story whenever he wanted it.

The story ended and the pair stood as the crowd of kids dispersed. "I've decided – when I get older, I'm not just going to fight vampires. I'm going to be a _knight_ who fights vampires, with a fancy magical sword just like the king!" Yuu exclaimed, then paused for a moment. "But I'm not going to die in the end like he did."

"Ahh, sure, Yuu-chan," Mika mumbled, distracted. He had been so excited about his idea that he had missed the end of the story.

"Scratch that, I can't believe you weren't listening." Yuu scowled vigorously in Mika's direction, who looked over just in time to catch the expression.

"Well now Yuu-chan, I thought you were too tired to walk home before," Mika falsely mused, another idea coming to mind, one which also brought a smile to his mischievous little face. "Do you mean to tell me you made me sit on that _cold_ wall for so long, while my legs went to sleep under your head, so you could listen to a story?"

"Uhhh… I was tired too? Wait, Mika, don't look at me like that!" Yuu had caught Mika's expression now, and was starting to sweat. They held each other's gazes for a moment in silent contest before Yuu faltered first and took off down the street running. Mika gave chase, managing to catch up with his slightly longer legs. He gave one last little burst and jumped up onto Yuu's back, who yelped in surprise. Mika laughed the whole time while the two of them toppled to the ground.

He couldn't help but sigh in contentment as they lay in the middle of the street, Yuu effectively trapped underneath him. He had a plan, something that would hopefully make the squirming, cursing boy under him happy. He thought that maybe, in a different kind of life, that wouldn't seem like much. But down here, he would take these small moments as they came.

* * *

A few days after Mika had his idea, he asked Ferid for a book about knights, or dragons, or magic. Ferid laughed, said he had just the thing, and led Mika down the hall. For the whole of the short distance, he kept one freezing hand firmly planted on Mika's shoulder. Seeing as this was the first time Mika had been allowed anywhere but the main halls and Ferid's room, he suspected the gesture was to keep him from wandering off where he shouldn't. That didn't make him feel any less uncomfortable with the contact.

Their destination was the last door down the right-hand passage of the hall, and when Ferid opened it and flicked on the lights, Mika couldn't help but stare. While had seen glimpses of bookshelves through other darkened doors before, this was a library. It was a full two stories tall, with dark wood shelves extending up to the shadowy ceiling, broken up on two sides of the room by thin windows which soared just as high. The greenish glow of the banked night-time street lights filtered through the windows and left bars of faint color across the massive, heavy-looking desk that dominated the back of the room. Mika was sure all of his siblings could lie side by side on that desk. Even more startling than the appearance was the fact that the disconcerting sense of loneliness and emptiness that radiated from the rest of the manor was less present here. It was warmer here than the rest of the unheated house too – he wondered if it had anything to do with preserving the books.

"Do you like my library?" Ferid asked casually, finally retracting his hand from Mika's shoulder so he could cross to a shelf and start looking through the titles. "It's rather western-style, I'll admit, but I felt that it suited the house."

Mika, still slightly woozy from blood loss, and somewhat overwhelmed by the room, could only manage a nod. Realizing that Ferid had his back turned and couldn't see that, he cleared his throat and tried again. "It's beautiful," he answered honestly. If it wasn't for present company, he would gladly curl up in one of the plush armchairs clustered near the door and stay for hours.

"Well I am certainly glad you like it," Ferid remarked, returning with a thick book in hand. He held it out, flashing his wide, unsettling smile. "This should be absolutely perfect."

Mika took the proffered volume and clutched it to his chest, suddenly afraid that Ferid might change his mind if he showed any signs of displeasure. "Thank you, Ferid-sama," he said, putting on his brightest, showiest smile.

"Anything for my Mika-kun, of course. I'll see you out then."

Mika had to bite down his reaction at being called 'Ferid's' as the vampire once again lead him down the hall. As soon as the library door shut, the sense of empty, abandoned space came flooding back down on him, making him want to leave as quickly as possible. The hand on his shoulder did nothing to dispel the sense of being alone – Ferid certainly had a presence, and an intimidating one at that, but there was something missing or just plain _wrong_ that kept Mika from feeling that the vampire was entirely there either. Mika was released at the top of the grand entrance stairs, but he could sense his benefactor's eyes on him, and his own many reflected eyes wavering in the mirrors in the entrance hall as he quickly exited the mansion.

It wasn't until halfway down to the lower city that Mika stopped on a side street – well enough concealed from patrols, but still lit – to inspect the book. He wasn't sure what he had expected. Some magnificently bound cover, embossed with intricate lettering that looked like it belonged in a fairytale itself, perhaps. This was not that kind of book. It did have a hard cover, granted, but it looked almost new, just like any other book he might have seen in a shop back before the world ended. Mika couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. But he was somewhat appeased as soon as he opened the cover. The first page claimed it to be a collection of Grimm's Fairytales, and there wasn't just one story, but hundreds. With titles like "The Young Giant," "The Spirit in the Bottle," and "The King's Son Who Feared Nothing," he was sure he could find something Yuu would like. That last one even felt more like a description of Yuu than whatever story might come attached to it.

Mika skimmed a couple of stories just to see, and quickly realized why Ferid had been quite so excited about this book in particular. He seemed like the kind of person that would find it amusing to give a bunch of children stories that were often rather violent, strange, or both, like one about a mouse, a bird and a sausage living together – of course begging the question why the sausage was sentient and who would ever want to live with it – which ended with all parties eaten, burned to death, or drowned. Other samplings involved men who killed for profit or glory, women kidnapped and murdered, or betrothed to cannibals, children sold to the devil, bones which sang of their owner's demise – the gruesome list was fairly long. Mika briefly worried about reading some of these to the younger kids, but decided that few fairytale happenings could be quite as frightening as the very real vampires they dealt with daily. If worst came to worst, he would edit out a few details as he read.

Satisfied with his prize, Mika got up and began making his way back down to the lower city. He was exhausted by now, but he had learned some of the patrol patterns well enough that he still managed to evade vampire guards without much difficulty. He made it home and snuck in without incident. Instead of hiding the book like the other goods he brought home, he left it out on the table. For once, he wanted to get everyone's attention. And there was no way he was going to let Akane give an excuse for this one.

He gave the book one last glance, a large square shadow amongst shadows, before climbing up into the loft and settling amongst his family. He wasn't entirely sure what he would tell them as far as the origins of his gift, but that was a thought for the morning, when he wasn't quite so tired.

However, come morning, Mika immediately regretted his decision to leave the book out in plain sight, as he was awoken by large quantities of shrieking when the younger kids found it. He groaned and tried to pull the blanket up over his head; he felt as if he had barely slept at all. A corresponding groan from somewhere in the vicinity of his chest indicated that Yuu shared his opinion on the noise and the hour.

There was a set of quick, creaking steps on the ladder and then Kouta's head appeared just at the corner of Mika's vision. "There's a book downstairs!" he shouted, and then scampered back down.

Akane's voice drifted from below, "Don't fight over it! If you rip any of the pages, then we won't be able to read it."

"Should we go see then, Yuu-chan?" Mika asked.

"No." Yuu pushed his head further into Mika's chest, and tightened the hand on his collar.

Mika could feel his face heating up spectacularly. As much as he would like to stay like this, it probably would be best to get up. It wouldn't do for Yuu to hear exactly how hard Mika's heart was beating right now. He wasn't exactly sure why his body was reacting in quite this way, but it was, and Mika felt that he should be embarrassed by it. "Now, now, if we stay up here all day, you won't get any breakfast, and the kids will probably wreck that book before you can even see it." Then he unceremoniously whipped the blankets off the both of them.

Yuu made a disgruntled noise and made a grab for his disappearing bedclothes, but Mika pulled them out of the way too quickly. Laughing at the annoyed look on his companion's face, Mika clambered across the loft and down the ladder. As he did, he caught Akane's gaze. The question in her eyes was clear, and Mika shook his head slightly.

Yuu came down a moment after, and immediately asked the question that Mika had been waiting for, "Where did it come from?"

"I got it, as a gift for the New Year. Or, well, close enough to the New Year at least," Mika said, smiling proudly.

"But how?"

"Selling all of the nutrition packets you don't drink on the black market."

Yuu looked indignant for a moment, and slightly confused, but then made a dismissive motion with his hand and said, "Well, I think that's a better use for them than drinking them."

"Mika-nii, can we read it now?" Taichi cut in, nearly ready to burst with impatience.

"No. Breakfast first," Akane replied decisively.

Breakfast was a jittery meal. The kids could barely sit, constantly bouncing in their seats and reaching out to touch the cover of the book. It eventually got so bad that Yuu had to put a hand on Ako's head, who was sitting next to him, and smush her down into her seat. "Can you be still for just a minute?" He grumbled. She'd had the grace to look contrite and kept her bouncing to a minimum. It did not help Mika's comfort level either that Yuu kept flashing him a look that was just a little confused, but he never actually brought the origins of the book to question. Thankfully, the rest of the kids didn't seem to care at all. They were all too focused on piling food into their mouths as quickly as possible.

Breakfast was eaten, and the dishes cleaned in record time, at which point Mika was confronted by five begging looks. However, he couldn't help but seek the gaze he was most interested in instead; Yuu was still seated at the breakfast table, his posture saying for all the world to see that he didn't care. But his green eyes, when Mika finally caught them, were brimming with excitement. Mika couldn't help but give in under the force of six sets of eyes. He threw up his hands in mock exasperation and declared, "Yes, we can go read now." He scooped the book up off the table before a fight over who got to carry it could ensue, and then followed the stampede up to the loft. Akane and Yuu brought up the rear at a much more dignified pace appropriate to their full eleven years of age.

In the loft, all of the younger kids were tucked as tight together as possible, and under all of their blankets. Akane moved to join them, while Yuu, much to Mika's surprise, collected the two of their blankets and plopped down next to Mika. "Don't you want to join the others Yuu-chan?" The question slipped out before he had a chance to think about it.

"Nope," Yuu replied, pressing close to Mika's side and draping the blankets over the both of them, "Because, one, you'll get cold outside of the huddle, and two, I like to read along, so there."

"Yuu-chan, you can barely read."

"I can to read!" He said indignantly.

However, Mika could hear the slight stumble in his companion's voice. If he didn't know better, and if the light wasn't so damn faint up here, he would have thought Yuu's face was flushed as well. He felt an uncomfortable swoop in his stomach about needling his friend in this way. The orphanage director had always made sure that Mika and the other kids had lots of practice reading. But Yuu hadn't spent much time with them before coming to the vampire city, and he knew his parents hadn't given two shits about their kid or his education. Not for the first time, Mika found himself feeling pleased that Yuu's parents had died with all of the other adults in the apocalypse.

Mika didn't get much time for his ruminations, or guilt over putting his foot in it; it was pretty difficult to ignore the mass of excitable kids before him. He cleared his throat of the last of his bad feelings as said, "Let's start at the beginning then, huh? This one is called the Frog-King…"

They managed to read through ten stories before some of the younger kids' attention spans gave out. Even though they were short stories, Mika couldn't help but feel impressed with his little bunch. In truth, reading through twenty-five or so pages aloud had taken longer than he would have liked – after nearly three years without picking up a book, he was a bit rusty. Finally, he closed up the cover, causing a disappointed chorus of little voices. There was also a shifting next to him, as Yuu raised his head from Mika's shoulder, where it supposedly had been perched to allow him to try to read along better. "The book will still be here tomorrow," Mika reminded his audience. "We can read a bit every day, and then it will last longer." There were a number of sighs and some dejected slumping in reply. Mika was pleased that everyone was happy with his gift. But he was overtaken by a desire to hear them say it. "So, do you all like the book?"

The youngest kids broke into a chorus of yeses, and Akane nodded as well, catching Mika's eye with a slightly concerned look. He knew she was worrying that he might have had to do something outrageous for the book. He sent her a minute, reassuring shake of his head to indicate that it was nothing more than usual.

Yuu had been initially quiet in response to the question, but after a moment, he hummed and said, "It was good, but there weren't any knights!"

Mika couldn't help but laugh. "But Yuu-chan, there was plenty of magic, and kings, and princesses."

"I still wanted to hear about knights."

Mika swung his head around so that he came nose to nose with Yuu, who was still sitting rather close. He stared the other boy down with a shit-eating grin. "If you're so desperate for a knight, does that mean you're a princess in need of rescuing?"

"What!? No!" Yuu backed away quickly, green eyes narrowing in annoyance. "I want to _be_ a knight, not be saved by one!"

"I don't know, I think maybe I would make the better knight."

"And what makes you say that, hmm?"

"Well, I'm stronger and smarter than you, and far more chivalrous. Much better suited to being a knight."

"No way. You only like play fighting, not real fighting. So I should be the knight, and _you_ should be the princess," Yuu stated, crossing his arms and nodding, clearly deciding that this was the much better arrangement of roles.

But Mika was good at getting the final word, and there was no way he was going to let _Yuu-chan_ , walking trouble magnet, of all people imply he was the one in need of rescuing. He paused, and pretended to be thinking about the idea, much to Yuu's delight. Then, lightning fast, he whipped his head to the side to stare at the rest of their family, who were trying unsuccessfully not to giggle. "Heeeeey Akane, who do you think is the knight, and who is the princess?"

"I don't know," she said with a straight face, "but seeing as you've needed to rescue Yuu before from his terrible, fire-breathing stupidity, I think Yuu is the princess."

Yuu spluttered indignantly, as little heads nodded around the circle. His attempts to argue were quickly drowned out by a chorus of: "Yuu-nii is a princess! Yuu-nii is a princess!"

Suddenly, Chihiro stopped chanting to look at Mika with her head tilted. "Hey, Mika-nii, if you're the knight and Yuu-nii is the princess, does that make Yuu-nii your princess?"

Yuu quickly jumped in with another loud, red-faced assertion that he was not a princess, while Mika sat silently, opening and closing his mouth a few times. When he had started this line of teasing, he had not considered that particular set of relationships, and he was not entirely sure what to think about it. Although there was some strange part of him was just a little pleased. Being Yuu-chan's knight meant that protecting him was his job. That he certainly agreed with.

Yuu continued his attempts to argue for another good few minutes, until no one was even responding to him anymore. It had become an accepted fact among the rest of the family that Yuu was now considered the princess. Eventually, he threw his hands up and stated, "You know what, I don't need to sit here and take this kind of abuse! I'm going to the laundry house roof."

"No one is abusing you, Yuu-chan. Why no one is even saying a word," Mika said innocently.

Yuu shot him an impressive glare and a grumble, but then asked, "Mika, are you coming?"

The blond haired boy blinked a few times in surprise, but then let his favorite mischievous smile creep onto his face. "Of course. Anything for my Princess," he stated with an awkward seated bow, and then scrambled across the floor and down the ladder before Yuu even had a chance to react.

* * *

A/N: I think Ferid would be the kind of person who delights in giving a bunch of small children a collection of the original, fully fucked up Grimm's Fairytales. Also, if anyone can guess what story the boy was telling from my entirely vague references, you will get imaginary cookies and virtual high-fives (and to tell you the truth, I actually didn't even realize it at first – it only came to me after re-reading that section that it sounded a lot like another story I know)


End file.
